Does oxygen free radical increased formation explain long term complications of diabetes mellitus?

Oxygen free radicals (OFR) can form by reaction of glycated proteins with molecular oxygen. We hypothesize that this mechanism operates in tissues of diabetic patients when their content of glycated proteins is significantly increased. OFR are harmful to polyunsaturated fatty acids of lipid membranes, proteins, sugars and DNA. The most significant complications of diabetes, for example polyneuritis, retinopathy, microangiopathy, perforating ulcers, impaired healing, may depend on the excessive production of OFR by glycated proteins. Clues to these effects may be deduced from the decrease of glutathione stores in red blood cells, and the increases of lipid peroxidation and malondialdehyde formation, all of which have been documented to occur in the course of diabetes mellitus.