Bone marrow stem cell abnormality and diabetic complications

Long-lasting diabetes impairs the function of multiple organs, which consists of degeneration of various tissues with increasing apoptosis of target cells. Recently, we found that hyperglycemia induced the appearance of abnormal cells in the bone marrow and cell fusion between bone marrow-derived cells and hepatocytes, peripheral neural cells, or renal tubular cells occurred in diabetic animals. Fused cells in these organs expressed TNFα, and accelerated apoptosis, suggesting that these events might be a cause of diabetic complications. In this review, we propose a new concept that bone marrow stem cell abnormality causes diabetic complications, and this concept might provide new strategies for treatment of diabetes-associated tissue damage.