[AGEs and RAGE - advanced glycation end-products and their receptor in questions and answers]

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases and their complications, especially diabetic complications, atherosclerosis, complications of chronic kidney diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. These substances are formed via non-enzymatic glycation and their formation is potentiated in case of carbonyl stress. AGEs are represented by a heterogeneous group of compounds, e.g. carboxymethyllysine, pentosine, methylglyoxallysin dimer, vesperlysine, imidazolones etc. AGEs can modify proteins and so change their physical and chemical properties and can act also via specific receptors, among them RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) is the best known but not the unique one. RAGE is a multiligand receptor capable to bind also HMGB1 (high mobility group box protein 1), S100 proteins or amyloid fibrils. RAGE - ligand interactions results to activation of a variety of signaling pathways including oxidative stress and activation of nuclear factor κB and subsequent proinflammatory response depending on the cell type. AGEs and RAGE together with further mechanisms - hexosamine pathway, polyol pathway, lipid metabolism disorder, activation of proteinkinase C, oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction take part in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Terapeuticaly it is possible to decrease endogenous formation of AGEs, influence the AGEs intake to the organism and their absorption in the intestine or stimulate their degradation.Key words: AGEs - advanced glycation end-products - carbonyl stress - diabetes mellitus - inflammation - oxidative stress - RAGE - receptor for AGEs - sRAGE.