Diabetes late complications caused by iron-induced reactive oxygen radicals (A02)

• Subject Area: Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism
• Term: from 2014 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 236360313

In the past funding periods we demonstrated that patients with type2 diabetes and corresponding mouse models show increased systemic iron levels. Iron accumulation leads to the production of reactive oxygen species, reduces insulin sensitivity in the liver and enhances diabetic late complications. Specifically, we showed that non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) exacerbates progression of atherosclerosis in mice susceptible to atherosclerosis (ApoE-/- ;FPNwt/C326S) and enhances vascular damage in patients with iron overload. In the third funding period we will apply novel state-of-the-art pharmacological strategies to re-establish normal systemic iron levels to enhance insulin sensitivity and limit diabetic-related atherosclerosis.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1118: Reactive metabolites as a cause of diabetes complications
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Head: Professorin Dr. Martina Muckenthaler