Advanced glycation end products enhance monocyte activation during human mixed lymphocyte reaction

Posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a frequent complication among transplant recipients. Ligation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) with their receptor (RAGE) on monocytes/macrophages plays roles in the diabetes complications. The enhancement of adhesion molecule expression on monocytes/macrophages activates T-cells, leading to reduced allograft survival. We investigated the effect of four distinct AGE subtypes (AGE-2/AGE-3/AGE-4/AGE-5) on the expressions of intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, B7.1, B7.2 and CD40 on monocytes, the production of interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and the proliferation of T-cells during human mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). AGE-2 and AGE-3 selectively induced the adhesion molecule expression, cytokine production and T-cell proliferation. The AGE-induced up-regulation of adhesion molecule expression was involved in the cytokine production and T-cell proliferation. AGE-2 and AGE-3 up-regulated the expression of RAGE on monocytes; therefore, the AGEs may activate monocytes, leading to the up-regulation of adhesion molecule expression, cytokine production and T-cell proliferation.