Nonenzymatic Glycosylation of Serum IgG and Its Effect on Antibody Activity in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

Susceptibility to infection is assumed to be increased in diabetic patients, although its mechanism is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether glycosylation of circulating immunoglobulins is related to the decrease of antibody activity in diabetic patients. Thirty-five patients with type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes and 14 age-matched normal controls were examined. Nonenzymatic glycosylation of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) in vivo was measured by two different techniques, colorimetry and affinity chromatography. The levels of glycosylated IgG were significantly higher in diabetic patients than in normal controls. To evaluate the antibody activity of glycosylated IgG, anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titers after in vitro glycosylation of IgG and antibody titers before and after in vivo immunization with influenza vaccine were determined. IgG specific for streptolysin O purified by affinity chromatography decreased ASO titers after in vitro glycosylation. In diabetic patients, serum titers of hemagglutinin-inhibiting antibody against influenza viruses 4 wk after initial immunization were significantly lower than those in normal controls. These results indicate that serum IgG in diabetic patients was nonenzymatically glycosylated, and this modification in vivo might be associated with its functional alteration.