A role for mitogen‐activated protein kinases in the etiology of diabetic neuropathy

• Published in: The FASEB journal 2001-11, Vol.15 (13), p.2508-2514
• Main Authors: PURVES, TERTIA, MIDDLEMAS, ALICIA, AGTHONG, SITHIPORN, JUDE, EDWARD B., BOULTON, ANDREW J. M., FERNYHOUGH, PAUL, TOMLINSON, DAVID R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Butadienes - pharmacology; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - enzymology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - enzymology; Diabetic Neuropathies - enzymology; Diabetic Neuropathies - etiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; DRG; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Ganglia, Spinal - cytology; Ganglia, Spinal - drug effects; Ganglia, Spinal - enzymology; Glucose - pharmacology; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide - pharmacology; Imidazoles - pharmacology; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Male; MAP Kinase Kinase 4; MAPK; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases - metabolism; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - physiology; Neurons, Afferent - drug effects; Neurons, Afferent - enzymology; Nitriles - pharmacology; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Pyridines - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; stress; Sural Nerve - enzymology
• ISSN: 0892-6638; 1530-6860
• DOI: 10.1096/fj.01-0253hyp

ABSTRACT The onset of diabetic neuropathy, a complication of diabetes mellitus, has been linked to poor glycemic control. We tested the hypothesis that the mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK) form transducers for the damaging effects of high glucose. In cultures of adult rat sensory neurons, high glucose activated JNK and p38 MAPK but did not result in cell damage. However, oxidative stress activated ERK and p38 MAPKs and resulted in cellular damage. In the dorsal root ganglia of streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats (a model of type I diabetes), ERK and p38 were activated at 8 wk duration, followed by activation of JNK at 12 wk duration. We report activation of JNK and increases in total levels of p38 and JNK in sural nerve of type I and II diabetic patients. These data implicate MAPKs in the etiology of diabetic neuropathy both via direct effects of glucose and via glucose‐induced oxi‐dative stress.—Purves, T., Middlemas, A., Agthong, S., Jude, E. B., Boulton, A. J. M., Fernyhough, P., Tomlinson, D. R. A role for mitogen‐activated protein kinases in the etiology of diabetic neuropathy. FASEB J. 15, 2508–2514 (2001)