These findings suggest the value of Haptoglobin testing in people with diabetes in order to ensure more successful treatment in the prevention of cardiovascular events (such as heart attack and stroke).
In the study, researchers assessed clearance of Hb by Hp in diabetic mice that were also tested for Hp type. The study showed that in these mice, the combination of diabetes and the Hp2-2 genotype was associated with a two-to-three-fold increase in the half-life of the Haptoglobin-Hemoglobin (Hp-Hb) complex compared to other Hp types. Further, a greater than 10-fold increase was found in the association of Hp-2-Hb and HDL in these mice. The study also demonstrated that vitamin E supplementation prevented the impairment of reverse cholesterol transport in diabetic mice with the Hp2-2 genotype.
Noah Berkowitz, president and CEO of Synvista, said: “These data from a validated animal model support our belief that Haptoglobin testing may help physicians tailor optimal therapy for patients with diabetes who may be at risk for cardiovascular events. The transport of cholesterol out of atherosclerotic plaque may be an important mechanism of stroke and heart attack prevention.”