Age-dependent systemic DNA damage in early Type 2 Diabetes mellitus

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Endocrinology
• Genetics

Background:

• Oxidative stress contributes to diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications.
• Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) development.
• Investigating oxidative DNA damage in MetS and early T2DM is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of oxidative stress in T2DM development.
• To assess the association between oxidative DNA damage and metabolic parameters.
• To compare these markers in MetS and early T2DM patients.

Main Methods:

• Assessed anthropometric and biochemical parameters: BMI, fatty liver index (FLI), waist circumference (WC), cholesterol, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), uric acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocyte/neutrophil counts.
• Measured urinary 8-hidroxy-deoxyguanosine (u-8-OHdG) as a marker of oxidative DNA damage.
• Compared male subjects with MetS, younger T2DM (≤55 years), and older T2DM (>55 years).

Main Results:

• MetS group had higher BMI, FLI, WC, total/LDL-cholesterol, and uric acid than older T2DM subjects.
• MetS group had lower u-8-OHdG than older T2DM subjects.
• No significant differences in measured parameters between MetS and younger T2DM, or between T2DM subgroups.

Conclusions:

• Higher u-8-OHdG in older T2DM subjects suggests aging and diabetes contribute to DNA damage.
• Oxidative DNA damage is not a universal early marker for T2DM.
• Further research is needed to understand oxidative stress in MetS and T2DM progression.