Enhanced accumulation of cholesterol ester in macrophages from diabetic rats incubated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein

The metabolism of cholesterol ester (CE) was studied in peritoneal macrophages taken from rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes. Levels of CE and synthesized [ 14 C]-cholesterol oleate did not differ significantly between the macrophages from diabetic and control rats incubated with low-density lipoprotein (LDL). However, when macrophages were incubated with Cu 2+ -induced oxidized LDL, CE levels were significantly higher in diabetic rats than in control rats (3.03± 0.09 μg/10 6 cells versus 2.66±0.09 μg/10 6 cells; P 14 C]-cholesterol oleate did not differ significantly between the two groups of rats. The findings suggest that CE accumulates in macrophages in the presence of diabetes mellitus and may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis in diabetes mellitus.