Peritoneal clearance and transport of methylglyoxal

Methylglyoxal and Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): Targets for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes-Associated Bladder Dysfunction?

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a highly reactive α-dicarbonyl compound formed endogenously from 3-carbon glycolytic intermediates. Methylglyoxal accumulated in plasma and urine of hyperglycemic and diabetic individuals acts as a potent peptide glycation molecule, giving rise to advanced glycation end products (AGEs) like arginine-derived hydroimidazolone (MG-H1) and carboxyethyl-lysine (CEL). Methylglyoxal-derived AGEs exert their effects mostly via activation of RAGE, a cell surface receptor that initiates multiple intracellular signaling pathways, favoring a pro-oxidant environment through NADPH oxidase activation and generation of high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Diabetic bladder dysfunction is a bothersome urological complication in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and may comprise overactive bladder, urge incontinence, poor emptying, dribbling, incomplete emptying of the bladder, and urinary retention. Preclinical models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes have further confirmed the relationship between diabetes and voiding dysfunction. Interestingly, healthy mice supplemented with MGO for prolonged periods exhibit in vivo and in vitro bladder dysfunction, which is accompanied by increased AGE formation and RAGE expression, as well as by ROS overproduction in bladder tissues. Drugs reported to scavenge MGO and to inactivate AGEs like metformin, polyphenols, and alagebrium (ALT-711) have shown favorable outcomes on bladder dysfunction in diabetic obese leptin-deficient and MGO-exposed mice. Therefore, MGO, AGEs, and RAGE levels may be critically involved in the pathogenesis of bladder dysfunction in diabetic individuals. However, there are no clinical trials designed to test drugs that selectively inhibit the MGO-AGEs-RAGE signaling, aiming to reduce the manifestations of diabetes-associated bladder dysfunction. This review summarizes the current literature on the role of MGO-AGEs-RAGE-ROS axis in diabetes-associated bladder dysfunction. Drugs that directly inactivate MGO and ameliorate bladder dysfunction are also reviewed here.

Transperitoneal administration of dissolved hydrogen for peritoneal dialysis patients: a novel approach to suppress oxidative stress in the peritoneal cavity

Background

Oxidative stress (OS) related to glucose degradation products such as methylglyoxal is reportedly associated with peritoneal deterioration in patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD). However, the use of general antioxidant agents is limited due to their harmful effects. This study aimed to clarify the influence of the novel antioxidant molecular hydrogen (H₂) on peritoneal OS using albumin redox state as a marker.

Methods

Effluent and blood samples of 6 regular PD patients were obtained during the peritoneal equilibrium test using standard dialysate and hydrogen-enriched dialysate. The redox state of albumin in effluent and blood was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Results

Mean proportion of reduced albumin (ƒ(HMA)) in effluent was significantly higher in H₂-enriched dialysate (62.31 ± 11.10%) than in standard dialysate (54.70 ± 13.08%). Likewise, serum ƒ(HMA) after administration of hydrogen-enriched dialysate (65.75 ± 7.52%) was significantly higher than that after standard dialysate (62.44 ± 7.66%).

Conclusions

Trans-peritoneal administration of H₂ reduces peritoneal and systemic OS.