TRAIL is not associated with endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) was originally identified as an inducer of apoptosis in cancer cells. Recent findings suggest that TRAIL is also inversely associated with the severity of atherosclerosis and the prognosis of patients with advanced atherosclerosis. However, whether TRAIL is associated with early-stage atherosclerosis remains obscure. Therefore, we examined the association between serum TRAIL levels and endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction. Serum TRAIL levels were measured by ELISA in 121 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and without overt renal dysfunction. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated dilatation (NMD) were assessed to evaluate endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction, respectively. Serum TRAIL levels were not associated with either FMD (r = 0.038, p = 0.678) or NMD (r = 0.096, p = 0.343). These results reveal that serum TRAIL levels are not associated with endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction, suggesting that TRAIL may not be associated with early-stage atherosclerosis.