Association between Protein Kinase C –B Isoform Level and Insulin Resistance in Pathogenesis of Iraqi Patients with Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy Complications

Objective: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the association between serum PKC-B isoform activity levels and various biomarkers such as insulin resistance in sera of Iraqi patients with diabetic nephropathy complications. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 100 samples obtained from Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, Al-Hussein Medical City, Kerbala Health Directorates / Kerbala – Iraq during Nov., 2019 to Sep. 2020. Thirty patients have type 2 diabetic nephropathy, 40 patients with type 2 diabetic without nephropathy and 30 samples as apparently healthy control. Biochemical data, comprising serum PKC-B level, lipid profile, blood glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and renal function tests such as urea, creatinine and GFR were investigated. Results: The study included 63% male and 37% female. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in blood glucose, HbA1c%, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), urea, creatinine, GFR and PKC-B between diabetic nephropathy and non-diabetic nephropathy groups (P-value <0.05). Serum PKC-B activity was significantly correlated with blood glucose, HOMA-IR, creatinine and GFR among diabetic nephropathy group, while, HbA1c% and blood glucose was positively correlated with PKC-B level in non-diabetic nephropathy group. Conclusion: The observed data conclude that PKC-B level is higher in patients with diabetic nephropathy complication as compared with T2DM and healthy control. Also there is a significant correlation between PKC-B level and renal function tests in DN group which indicate an important role of PKC-B level in pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy complications.