Association between amino-acid metabolisms and cardiovascular disease in adults with type 2 diabetes: a population-based cross-sectional study in China and UK Association between amino-acid and CVDs

Abstract Objective We aimed to identify which amino acids are associated with CVDs in adults with type 2 diabetes and compare the results in two different populations. Method This study consisted of two study populations, 718 participants with type 2 diabetes aged 18 to 89 were from Dalian metabolomics research (DMR), and 11,002 participants with type 2 diabetes aged 40 to 70 years were from the UK biobank (UKB). Type 2 diabetes and CVDs were defined using self-reported medical history and medical records. Plasma amino-acid metabolites including alanine (Ala), glutamine (Gln), glycine (Gly), histidine (His), leucine (Leu), phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), and valine (Val) were assessed through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry or high-throughput nucleic magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomic analysis. Stepwise logistic regression was used in data analysis. Results Among DMR participants, 74 (10.31%) had CVDs, and 1607 (14.61%) in UKB. In multi-adjusted logistic regression, Ala was positively associated with CVDs both in DMR (β = 0.048, 95% CI: 0.022– 0.074) and UKB (β = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.000– 0.018) participants. Lower Tyr was associated with CVDs in DMR (β=-0.035, 95% CI: -0.061– -0.008), while lower Gly (β=-0.017, 95% CI: -0.026– -0.007) and Val (β= -0.031 95% CI: -0.026– -0.007), and higher Gln (β = 0.010, 95% CI: 0.002– 0.018) and Leu (β = 0.024, 95% CI: 0.007– 0.041) were associated with CVDs in UKB. Conclusions High Ala may be an indicator for CVDs in DMR and UKB participants with type 2 diabetes. Tyr, Gly, Val, or Leu is associated with CVDs in type 2 diabetes among DMR/UKB participants.