INFLAMMATORY STATUS IN EARLY STAGES OF DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY: CYTOKINES, PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

The article provides information about a research study conducted to investigate the cytokine status in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes with developed diabetic nephropathy. The study involved 70 diabetic patients and 20 healthy individuals (control group). Blood serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines – including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-12 (IL-12), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) – as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10), were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Analysis of the study results revealed that in patients with diabetic nephropathy, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines increase during the progressive stages of microangiopathy. Alongside cytokine cascade activation, alterations in the blood coagulation system and exacerbation of microcirculatory disturbances were also observed. Among the microvascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy is the most frequently encountered condition, which, in turn, leads to chronic kidney failure. Strategies aimed at halting the progression of this pathology primarily focus on controlling traditional risk factors such as hyperglycemia and hypertension. Identifying the mechanisms involved in the development of inflammatory processes in diabetic patients is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. In this study, the focus is on the pathogenetic mechanisms associated with inflammation in diabetic nephropathy and the therapeutic potential of new anti-inflammatory strategies.