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2018 Abstracts

The Effects of High Glucose on the Oxidant Status of the Red Blood Cell

Mariah Richins; Jefferson Last, Dixie State University

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly regulated in the body by antioxidants. When the regulation of ROS in the body is hindered, it can lead to oxidative stress and cell damage. The Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) enzyme plays a part in reducing ROS and damage due to oxidative stress. It has been shown that the hyperglycemic conditions present in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus impairs the activity of the G6PD enzyme, leading to oxidative stress and damage in endothelial cells1. Here, however, the activity of G6PD in red blood cells was specifically analyzed and determined to be lower in red blood cells treated with high glucose compared to controls. It is anticipated that upon addition of an anti-oxidant to the red blood cells treated with high glucose, the G6PD activity level will normalize. References 1. Zang, Z., Apse, K., Pang, J., & Stanton, R. C. (2000). High glucose inhibits glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase via cAMP in aortic endothelial cells. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 275(51), 40042-40047. Doi: 10.1074/jbc.M007505200