title: Damage-associated molecular patterns and their pathological relevance in diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Diabetes, a group of metabolic and age-related diseases, is a major global health problem, the incidence of which has increased dramatically in recent decades. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a complex, T cell-mediated autoimmune disease characterized by immune cell infiltration and chronic inflammation in the islets of Langerhans. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) resulting from insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. The involvement of inflammatory processes, such as immune cell infiltration, and chronic inflammation in the pathogenesis of diabetes is less well understood in T2DM than in T1DM. However, studies conducted in the past decade have shown a strong link between inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. They have also shown that chronic inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of both T1DM and T2DM. Two immunological factors commonly contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes: the activation of inflammasomes and the release of proinflammatory cytokines in response to damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Inflammasomes are intracellular multiprotein molecular platforms. DAMPs act as endogenous danger signals. Here, we review current research on the function(s) of inflammasomes and DAMPs and discuss their pathological relevance and therapeutic implications in diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 443-749, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Jae
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 689-798, South Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Joo
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 443-749, South Korea. Electronic address: wookkim21@ajou.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Wook
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058847:Inflammasomes; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition
keywords: Damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP); Diabetes; Inflammasome; Inflammation; Pattern recognition receptor (PRR)