Long-term diabetic complications in elderly patients with variable levels of HMGA1 expression

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a very common metabolic disorder affecting ~200 million people worldwide [1]. Chronic complications of the disease due to poor metabolic control are specifically associated with long-term damage, dysfunction and failure of various organs, causing blindness, renal failure, amputations, and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases [2]. Previously, we reported a novel genetic flaw that markedly reduced the intracellular expression of the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) protein, and adversely affected insulin receptor expression in cells and tissues, leading to human diabetes [3]. Also, the involvement of HMGA1 in the transcriptional regulation of genes essential in both the inflammatory response and atherosclerosis is well known [4]. Herein we have investigated the prevalence of chronic complications in an elderly diabetic population according to the expression levels of HMGA1.