OXIDATIVE STRESS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHRONIC COMPLICATIONSIN DIABETES

摘要

Diabetes Mellitus is a serious global health problem. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes markedlyincrease the risk of microvascular and macrovascular complications. Chronic complications ofdiabetes (retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and diabetes accelerated arteriosclerosis) represent amajor medical and economical concern. Several pathogenic mechanisms were proposed to beresponsible for the development of long-term complications of diabetes (i.e. increase polyol pathwayflux, increased advanced glycation end products, activation of proteinkinase C, increased hexosaminepathway flux). A coherent pathogenic mechanism has just recently evolved by the discovery that eachof the mechanisms mentioned reflects a single hyperglycemia-induced process: overproduction ofreactive oxygen species by the mitochondria electron-transport chain. Oxidative stress is defined astissue injury resulting from a disturbance in the equilibrium between the production free radicals andantioxidant defense mechanisms. In this review, we consider how glucose-induced oxidative stressmay lead to microvascular and cardiovascular complications.