This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.This study is designed to determine the mechanisms responsible for the high rates (3-4 fold) of cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) complications in the Type I and Type II diabetic population. The adhesion of blood monocytes to the vessel wall, migration into the blood vessel and uptake of fat particles, such as the bad fraction of cholesterol, known as LDL cholesterol, are some of the earliest events in the clogging of blood vessels which can lead to heart attacks. This study is designed to determine how elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) and high fat levels (hyperlipidemia) can worsen these processes. Our earlier studies have shown that culture of normal monocytes under hyperglycemia conditions can alter genes and make them behave abnormally. The comparison of isolated monocytes from healthy volunteers versus patients with Type I and Type II diabetes may help to improve our understanding of the disease process.
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