Expression of DNA Repair and Response to Oxidative Stress Genes in Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a group of chronic metabolic diseases that arises from a deficiency in insulin secretion and/or action, resulting in hyperglycemia. The two main categories of DM are type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An interplay between oxidative stress and both T1DM and T2DM has been observed, with evidence indicating that oxidative stress can be the cause and also a consequence of both types of DM. In fact, a number of studies has detected elevated levels of oxidative stress markers and DNA damage (a consequence of oxidative stress), as well as an impaired antioxidant system in patients suffering from T1DM or T2DM. Accordingly, several works have identified differentially expressed genes that are associated with responses to oxidative stress and DNA damage in T1DM as well as in T2DM patients. In addition, a set of microRNAs that has been previously shown to clearly distinguish T1DM patients from healthy subjects potentially targets a plethora of genes involved in DNA repair and response to oxidative stress. Collectively, these studies indicate that patients with DM present changes in the gene expression profiles as a response to the insults to which they are subjected as part of the development and/or as a consequence of the disease.