Ligament Alteration in Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Connective tissue ageing is accelerated by the progressive accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The formation of AGEs is characteristic for diabetes mellitus (DM) progression and affects only specific proteins with relatively long half-lives. This is the case of fibrillar collagens that are highly susceptible to glycation. While collagen provides a framework for plenty of organs, the local homeostasis of specific tissues is indirectly affected by glycation. Among the many age- and diabetes-related morphological changes affecting human connective tissues, there is concurrently reduced healing capacity, flexibility, and quality among ligaments, tendons, bones, and skin. Although DM provokes a wide range of known clinical disorders, the exact mechanisms of connective tissue alteration are still being investigated. Most of them rely on animal models in order to conclude the patterns of damage. Further research and more well-designed large-cohort studies need to be conducted in order to answer the issue concerning the involvement of ligaments in diabetes-related complications. In the following manuscript, we present the results from experiments discovering specific molecules that are engaged in the degenerative process of connective tissue alteration. This review is intended to provide the report and sum up the investigations described in the literature concerning the topic of ligament alteration in DM, which, even though significantly decreasing the quality of life, do not play a major role in research.

Effects of Ribose-Induced Glycation on the Elastic Modulus of Collagen Fibrils Observed by Atomic Force Microscopy

“…Glycated collagen impairs the skin's mechanical properties, leading to increased susceptibility to injury, delayed wound healing and a tendency to develop chronic ulcers -common and debilitating complications of diabetes (Monnier et al, 1999;Burgess et al, 2021). In the context of the musculoskeletal system, the altered biomechanical properties of glycated collagen contribute to the joint stiffness and reduced mobility commonly reported in people with diabetes (Adamska et al, 2022;Vaidya et al, 2023). These changes not only reduce quality of life, but also increase the risk of injury and make physical activity more difficult, further complicating diabetes management (Murray & Coleman, 2019).…”

Presence of circulatory autoantibodies against glycated histones in diabetic patient in Saudi Arabia

“…Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disorder due to the lack of physiological function of the insulin hormone that induced hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. 1 DM is a common chronic health problem that affects people around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 1.5 million deaths caused by diabetes in 2019.…”