Abstract

A genetic component of diabetes and its complications (including diabetic nephropathy (DN)) is obvious, but the causative genes and mechanisms have not yet been satisfactorily identified. Oxidative stress is a single mechanism relating all major pathways responsible for diabetic damage. Numerous oxidative stress-related genes are positional candidates (determined by GWAS) and candidate genes studies confirm the association of their polymorphisms with DN. We present here their overview and connection to the “new antioxidant” therapy principle.

Keywords: Catalase, diabetic nephropathy, glutathione S-transferase, haptoglobin, NADPH oxidase, nitric oxide synthase, oxidative stress, paraoxonase, superoxide dismutase, uncoupling protein, diabetes, gene therapy, candidate genes