Original Scientific Article An Overexpression of Icam-1 in Mild Hyperhomocysteinemia and Hyperglycemia − A Study of Antidiabetics Administration Effect†

Abstract. Elevated plasma homocysteine is connected to atherosclerosis and increased cerebrovascular and ischemic heart disease especially in the patients with type 2 diabetes. Effects of metformin (10 μg mL−1), insulin (1 mUI mL−1), and their combination administration in condition of mild hyperhomocysteinemia (30 μmol dm−3) and hyperglycemia (12 mmol dm−3) on human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) was investigated. HAEC were cultured 4 h in a medium with homocysteine (7 and 30 μmol dm−3) and glucose (5.5 and 12.0 mmol dm−3). E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expressions were analysed by flow-cytometry. Controls were CAMs expression on HAEC in medium with physiological concentration of homocysteine and glucose. HAEC, incubated additionally with 30 μmol dm−3 homocysteine, increased expression of ICAM-1 for 65 % (p = 0.07) and decreased of E-selectin for 30 % (p = 0.07) and VCAM-1 for 13 % (0.06). In condition of mild hyperhomocysteinemia and hyperglycemia there was a statistically significant increase of ICAM-1 expression (for 22 %, p = 0.04), while administration of metformin and insulin did not statistically sig