CD36 (Cluster of Differentiation 36) is an integral membrane protein found on the surface of many cell types of class B scavenger receptor family. Macrophage accumulation is a feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and is associated with diabetic complications. There are different views regarding the possible role and levels of expression of CD36 in T2DM. We investigated expression level of CD36 on macrophages from T2DM patients and controls. Macrophages were isolated from blood samples of T2DM and controls (n=50) using HiSep-1077 and proliferated in Macrophages-Serum-Free-Media with Macrophages-Colony-Stimulating-Factor, Insulin-Transferin- Selenium-A and antibiotics. After incubation with FITC-coated monoclonal antibody (SC-7309), cells were subjected to FACS analysis. Age of T2DM cases showed significant association (P = 0.0424) while BMI, Fasting glucose (F), Post Prandial (PP) glucose, Glycosylated Haemoglobulin (HbA1c), Total Cholesterol, High density lipoproteins (HDL) and Low density lipoproteins (LDL) were highly significant when compared with that of controls (P<0.000) by student’s t test (PSAW ver.17.0). CD36 expression is increased ~4 times in T2DM and it can be used as a biomarker monocyte activation and ascertain the proinflammatory state.
