Plasma neuropeptide Y levels differ in distinct diabetic conditions

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an important hormone in appetite regulation Although the contribution of NPY to metabolic disease has been previously demonstrated there are only a few reports addressing NPY plasma levels under distinct diabetic conditions In this study we evaluated NPY plasma levels in diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) patients with (n = 34) and without (n = 34) diabetic polyneuropathy (PNP) and compared these with age and gender matched healthy controls (n = 34) We also analyzed NPY plasma levels in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) patients with age and pregnancy-week matched controls with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) NPY concentration was determined using a commercially available radioimmunoassay kit In addition metabolic parameters of DM2 and GDM patients were recorded One-way ANOVA tests with appropriate post hoc corrections showed elevated levels of NPY in DM2 patients with and without PNP when compared with those of healthy controls (122 32 +/- 40 86 and 117 33 +/- 29 92 vs 84 65 +/- 52 17 pmol/L p < 0 001 p < 0 005 respectively) No significant difference was observed between diabetic patients with and without PNP The NPY levels were similar in the GDM group and in pregnant women with NGT (74 87 +/- 14 36 vs 84 82 +/- 51 13 pmol/L respectively) Notably the NPY concentration correlated positively with insulin levels in DM2 patients (R = 035 p < 0 01) Our data suggest a potential involvement of circulating NPY in DM2 pathology (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved