New therapies for advanced glycation end product nephrotoxicity: current challenges.
BACKGROUND
The role of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in diabetic nephropathy has been developed during several years of research and increasingly complex AGE biochemistry. However, the structural diversity of AGE chemistry has created new challenges in the search for AGE-based inhibition therapies.


RESULTS
The challenges include the need to standardize measurements of serum and tissue AGE levels, identifying nephrotoxic AGE compounds, understanding the cell biological state of AGEs in the diabetic kidney, determining the mechanism of action of selective inhibition of the glycation cascade, and forming complementary therapies.


CONCLUSIONS
Current challenges in the development of new therapies for AGE nephrotoxicity are reviewed.
Williams
Mark E
ME
Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. mark.williams@joslin.harvard.edu
D000818:Animals; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans
D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced