MALDI-TOF Protein Profiling Reflects Changes in Type 1 Diabetes Patients Depending on the Increased Amount of Adipose Tissue, Poor Control of Diabetes and the Presence of Chronic Complications

Introduction: Protein profiling allows the determination of the presence of proteins marking various stages of the disease, and differentiates between people at risk of various diseases. In type 1 diabetes, protein profiling had been previously used to find blood markers other than islet autoantibodies to indicate the pancreatic beta cell destruction process and to reflect the progression of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, T1DM is an auto-immune disease and its clinical presentation changes in time of its duration. The aim of the study: To find differences in protein profiles in patients with type 1 diabetes according to diabetes control (HbA1c > 7%) and with presence of diabetic complications or obesity. It may help to identify subgroups of patients who may need a better clinical supervision and individualized treatment. Material and methods: A group of 103 patients with auto-immunologically confirmed T1DM, and meeting the following inclusion criteria: Caucasian race, duration of diabetes >5 years, were used in the study. Criteria of exclusion: past or present cancer (treated with chemo-/radiotherapy), diseases of the liver (ALT > 3 × ULN) except for people with simple hepatic steatosis, chronic renal disease (eGFR < 30 mL/1.73 m 2 /min), and acute inflammation (CRP > 5 mg/dL). The study group was divided in terms of the presence of chronic complications, obesity, or poor metabolic control (HbA1c > 7%). Protein profiling was completed by using the MALDI-TOF MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry) analyzer. Results: Differentiating proteins were identified in all of the groups. The groups burdened with complications, obesity, and poor metabolic control were characterized by increased levels of fibrinogen, complement C4 and C3. Conclusion: The groups of type 1 diabetes patients burdened with complications, obesity, and poor metabolic control were characterized by increased levels of fibrinogen, complement C4 and C3. Further detailed studies are necessary to determine more subtle changes in the proteomic profile of patients with type 1 diabetes.