PMID- 18071669
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20080521
LR  - 20211020
IS  - 0012-186X (Print)
IS  - 0012-186X (Linking)
VI  - 51
IP  - 3
DP  - 2008 Mar
TI  - Can persistent organic pollutants explain the association between serum 
      gamma-glutamyltransferase and type 2 diabetes?
PG  - 402-7
AB  - The results of several epidemiological studies of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase 
      (GGT) led us to hypothesise that associations of GGT within its normal range with 
      type 2 diabetes may reflect detrimental effects of xenobiotics found in the 
      environment, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Epidemiological 
      observations showed that serum GGT activity within its normal range strongly 
      predicted future type 2 diabetes; the predictability of diabetes from obesity was 
      low with GGT at the low end of the normal range; and GGT showed a positive 
      association with known markers of oxidative stress or inflammation. Experimental 
      findings on cellular GGT suggest that serum GGT levels within the normal range 
      may reflect oxidative stress related to the re-synthesis of intracellular 
      glutathione; however, this interpretation is not completely satisfying because, 
      in its role of regenerating intracellular glutathione, GGT activity should be 
      antioxidative. Alternatively, serum GGT activity may reflect amounts of 
      glutathione conjugates formed during the metabolism of xenobiotics. Accordingly, 
      we postulate a two-part hypothesis: that the association of serum GGT with type 2 
      diabetes reflects exposure to POPs, as these substances, which have a very long 
      half-life, may influence diabetes risk by residing in adipose tissue as endocrine 
      disruptors; and that POPs or similar substances may interact with obesity to 
      cause type 2 diabetes. Supporting this hypothesis, cross-sectional investigation 
      of background exposure to POPs in the National Health and Nutrition Examination 
      Survey showed relationships similar to those observed for GGT, including a 
      powerful association with prevalent diabetes and no association between obesity 
      and diabetes for very low POP concentrations. Our hypothesis can be tested in 
      both prospective studies and toxicological studies.
FAU - Lee, D-H
AU  - Lee DH
AD  - Department of Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Research Center, School of 
      Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea. lee_dh@knu.ac.kr
FAU - Steffes, M W
AU  - Steffes MW
FAU - Jacobs, D R Jr
AU  - Jacobs DR Jr
LA  - eng
GR  - R01 HL053560/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20071211
PL  - Germany
TA  - Diabetologia
JT  - Diabetologia
JID - 0006777
RN  - 0 (Environmental Pollutants)
RN  - 0 (Organic Chemicals)
RN  - EC 2.3.2.2 (gamma-Glutamyltransferase)
SB  - IM
MH  - Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/enzymology/*epidemiology
MH  - Environmental Pollutants/*toxicity
MH  - Humans
MH  - Models, Biological
MH  - Organic Chemicals/*toxicity
MH  - Predictive Value of Tests
MH  - Reference Values
MH  - Risk Factors
MH  - gamma-Glutamyltransferase/*blood/drug effects
EDAT- 2007/12/12 09:00
MHDA- 2008/05/22 09:00
CRDT- 2007/12/12 09:00
PHST- 2007/08/01 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2007/11/12 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2007/12/12 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/05/22 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2007/12/12 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1007/s00125-007-0896-5 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Diabetologia. 2008 Mar;51(3):402-7. doi: 10.1007/s00125-007-0896-5. Epub 2007 Dec 
      11.