Nephropathy is the major life-threatening complication of type 1 diabetes. It is due
to the adverse effects of glucose-induced preglomerular vasodilation on glomerular
hemodynamics. Glomerulosclerosis is initiated early in the course of diabetic nephropathy
by exacerbated expression of cytokines like tumor growth factor β1. Not all type 1
diabetes patients are at risk of nephropathy, probably because some polymorphisms
in the various factors involved in its pathogenesis can modulate the course of this
disease from one individual to another. Blocking the course of nephropathy by blockers
of the renin-angiotensin system relies on solid pathophysiological hypotheses and
has proved to be efficacious for improving the prognosis of type 1 diabetes nephropathy.
Type 1 diabetes - nephropathy - glomerular disease - albuminuria - angiotensin converting
enzyme - genetics - transforming growth factors β1