title: The importance of L-arginine metabolism modulation in diabetic patients with distal symmetric polyneuropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Micro and macrovascular disease is the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality of the patients with diabetes mellitus. The recent investigations have pointed out the relationship between endothelial dysfunction and the progression of these diabetic complications, suggesting the crucial role of nitric oxide, vasodilator molecule of endothelial origin, in these events, including diabetic symmetric polyneuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study encompassed 100 individuals with diabetes mellitus type II and diabetic distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSP). Nitrate+nitrite concentration, 3-nitrotyrosine, S-nitrosothiols, ADMA and SDMA levels and arginase activity were determined compared to the control group consisted of 50 age and sex matched voluntary blood donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NO(2)+NO(3) concentrations, as well as 3-nitrotyrosine, S-nitrosothiol, ADMA and SDMA levels were significantly higher in patients with DSP compared to the control group. Plasma arginase activity in the patients with diabetic DSP was significantly lower compared to the values in plasma of control subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results confirmed that nitrate+nitrite, 3-nitrotyrosine, S-nitrosothiols, ADMA, SDMA and arginase activity determination in plasma of patients with diabetic DSP could be useful in monitoring the disease development and in assesing the therapy effects.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Bul. Dr Zorana Djindjica 81, 18000 Nis, Serbia. stojanovicivana38@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stojanovic
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Djordjevic
authors.forename: Radmila
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.forename: Vidosava
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Djordjevic
authors.forename: Dusica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cvetkovic
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ljubisavljevic
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Basic
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zabar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001119:Arginase / Q000378:metabolism; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D019270:Fructosamine / Q000097:blood; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D026403:S-Nitrosothiols / Q000097:blood; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001119:Arginase; D001120:Arginine; D001786:Blood Glucose; D019270:Fructosamine; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D026403:S-Nitrosothiols; D014443:Tyrosine; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine