High Glucose Increases DNA Damage and Elevates the Expression of Multiple DDR Genes

The DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathways sense DNA damage and coordinate robust DNA repair and bypass mechanisms. A series of repair proteins are recruited depending on the type of breaks and lesions to ensure overall survival. An increase in glucose levels was shown to induce genome instability, yet the links between DDR and glucose are still not well investigated. In this study, we aimed to identify dysregulation in the transcriptome of normal and cancerous breast cell lines upon changing glucose levels. We first performed bioinformatics analysis using a microarray dataset containing the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 and the normal human mammary epithelium MCF10A cell lines grown in high glucose (HG) or in the presence of the glycolysis inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose (2DG). Interestingly, multiple DDR genes were significantly upregulated in both cell lines grown in HG. In the wet lab, we remarkably found that HG results in severe DNA damage to TNBC cells as observed using the comet assay. In addition, several DDR genes were confirmed to be upregulated using qPCR analysis in the same cell line. Our results propose a strong need for DDR pathways in the presence of HG to oppose the severe DNA damage induced in cells.

Targets, Treatments, and Outcomes Updates in Diabetic Stroke

GOAL

Due to multiple failures to translate basic research, the need for novel therapeutic targets and strategies is still urgent to save a larger number of the stroke patients' population and to reduce the toxicity of the current stroke therapy.

METHOD

We summarize the most recent, within past 5 years, basic and clinical diabetic stroke research findings.

FINDINGS

We aim to examine the most current understanding of stroke and neurovascular unit integrity, especially in presence of hyperglycemia and/or diabetes mellitus. From there, we are comparing the meaningful findings that aim at treating diabetic stroke to see where they differ, where they succeed, and where they open questions for new therapeutic strategies.

CONCLUSION

The need for more clinically effective neuroprotective strategies is still mismatched with the bench side findings.