A 1 week preculture of endothelial or smooth muscle cells in glucose-enriched (11.2 to 44.8 mM) media resulted in a marked enhancement of the subsequent ability of cells to oxidize low density lipoprotein, as assessed by the lipid peroxidation end product and conjugated diene content of the particle, its relative electrophoretic mobility and its degradation by macrophages. This phenomenon is correlated to a marked stimulation of superoxide anion secretion by cells. Such an effect of elevated glucose concentration on cell-induced LDL oxidative modification could be involved in the increased occurrence of atherosclerotic lesions in diabetes mellitus.
