Role of Nrf2 in regulating antioxidant defense in patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

SIEWERT S, GONZALEZ I, LUCERO R, SANTILLÁN L, GIMÉNEZ S, OJEDA MS

Mendoza

Congreso; XXVIII Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2010

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Role of Nrf2 in regulating antioxidant defense in patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2. Autores: Siewert S, Gonzalez I, Lucero R, Santillán L, Giménez S, Ojeda MS            Presentado en la XXVIII Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de             Cuyo, Octubre de 2010. Mendoza. Argentina y publicado en Rev. Biocell Resúmen: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are subject to chronic oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in regulating the cellular redox status, and an overproduction of ROS may in part underlie the pathogenesis of diabetes The transcription factor Nrf2  regulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes Induction of these genes is an adaptive defense to counteract oxidative stress. Hemeoxigenase-1 (HO-1) and Catalase are stress-related Nrf2 target genes. Our objetive focuses on the role that Nrf2 linked gene expression plays in regulating redox homeostasis. A total of 30 patients with T2DM and 30 controls were studied. Fasting blood samples were obtained and the fasting plasma glucose, lipid profiles, HbA1c, TBARS and catalase levels were measured. Analyses of mRNA levels of HO-1 and Nrf2 were performed using reverse transcriptase reaction. The glucose, CT, LDL-c, HbA1c and TBARS were significantly higher in T2DM than in controls (p < 0.001), whereas catalase and Nrf2 levels were significantly higher in controls than in T2DM (p < 0.001). The levels of HO-1 were lightly major in T2DM with regard to controls (p<0.06). The results of this study suggest that the patterns of response vary among different antioxidant enzymes. Longitudinal studies are required to confirm these results.