Summary
Poor control of blood glucose has been established as a key pathogenetic mechanism
in the vascular complications of diabetes. It has been reported that glucose may autooxidize
generating free radicals which have been suggested to delay proliferation, to modify
mobility, to influence platelet-derived growth factor and other secretory protein
production in a variety of cell systems. Platelet-derived growth factor, in turn,
may induce proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells and thus play
a role in atherogenesis. In the present study the effects of antioxidants on the high
glucose-dependent oxidative cell damage and increased platelet-derived growth factor
secretion have been investigated using cultured human endothelial cells. Our findings
show that rising the glucose concentration in the culture medium from 5 mM to 20 mM,
increased the production of free radicals cell damage markers, such as malondialdehyde
and conjugated dienes, as well as the production of platelet-derived growth factor.
The addition of superoxide dismutase or glutathione prevents both such effects. These
results suggest that antioxidants may be a helpful therapeutic adjuvant to reduce
the vascular complications of diabetes.
