Horm Metab Res 2006; 38(10): 650-655
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-954589
Original Basic

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Glucose-induced Effects and Joker Function of Glucose: Endocrine or Genotoxic Prevalence?

L. M. Berstein 1 , D. A. Vasilyev 1 , T. E. Poroshina 1 , I. G. Kovalenko 1
  • 1N. N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St. Petersburg, Russia 197758
Further Information

Publication History

Received 20 September 2005

Accepted after revision 9 June 2006

Publication Date:
30 October 2006 (online)

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Abstract

The steady increase in chronic “glycemic load” is characteristic for modern times. Among myriad of glucose functions, two principals can be emphasized: first, endocrine (in particular, ability to induce insulin secretion) and second, DNA-damaging related to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It was suggested by us earlier that a shift in the ratio of mentioned functions reflects a possible “joker” role of glucose as an important modifier of human pathology. Therefore, we embarked on a study to investigate an individual effect of peroral glucose challenge on serum insulin level and ROS generation by mononuclears (luminol-dependent/latex-induced chemiluminescence) in 20 healthy people aged between 28-75. Concentrations of glucose, blood lipids, carbonylated proteins, malondialdehyde, leptin and TNF-α were determined as well. On the basis of received data two separate groups could be distinguished: one (n=8), in which glucose stimulation of ROS generation by mononuclears was increased and relatively prevailed over induction of insulin secretion (state of the so called glucose-induced genotoxicity, GIGT), and another (n=12), in which signs of GIGT were not revealed. People who belonged to the first group were characterized with a tendency to lower body mass index, blood leptin and cholesterol and to higher TNF-α concentration. Thus, if joker function of glucose is realized in “genotoxic mode”, the phenotype (and probably genotype) of subjects may be rather distinctive to the one discovered in glucose-induced “endocrine prevalence”. Whether such changes may serve as a pro-mutagenic or pro-endocrine basis for the rise of different chronic diseases or, rather, different features/aggressiveness of the same disease warrants further study.

References

Correspondence

Prof. Lev M. BersteinMD, Ph.D. 

Chief, Laboratory of Oncoendocrinology·N. N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology

Pesochny-2

Leningradskaja 68

St. Petersburg 197758

Russia

Phone: +7/812/59 68 65 4

Fax: +7/812/59 68 94 7

Email: levmb@endocrin.spb.ru