Aim: To compare the adhesion, migration and endothelial differentiation potential of peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from drug-naive normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) Asian Indian men.Methods: Based on the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, 30 NGT and 31 IGT subjects were recruited into the study. PBMCs were isolated from fasting blood using histopaque density gradient centrifugation. Isolated PBMCs were analysed for their ability to adhere to extracellular matrices, incorporation into tubular structures formed by matured endothelial cells and differentiation into endothelial cells upon 7-day culture in endothelial-specific growth medium.Results: PBMCs obtained from IGT subjects exhibit poor adherence to fibronectin and reduced incorporation into tubular structures. Migration towards stromal cell-derived factor-1? (SDF-1?) in a trans-well filter assembly was also reduced for these cells. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed decreased expression of CXCR4 and ?2 integrin and increased expression of arginase II in IGT subjects. No differences were observed with regard to endothelial differentiation; however, cultured PBMCs of IGT subjects had decreased intracellular nitric oxide (NO) production.Conclusion: In pre-diabetic, Asian Indian men, PBMCs exhibit defective migration and homing potential. © The Author(s) 2014.