Effects of vitamin D on serum levels and gene expression of enzymes aldose reductase, o-linked n-acetyl glucosamine transferase and glutamine fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial

• Main Authors: Mahnaz Zarei, Mohammad Hassan Javanbakht, Hanieh Jafary, Mahmoud Djalali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2021-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Food Properties
• Subjects: aldose reductase; o-linked n-acetyl glucosamine transferase; glutamine fructose‐6-phosphate aminotransferase; type 2 diabetes; vitamin d
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2021.1879131

Although vitamin D deficiency has been associated with diabetes complications, the underlying mechanisms have not been clarified in human studies yet. This clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum levels and gene expression of some polyols and hexamine pathway enzymes, which play pivotal roles in the incidence of diabetes complications. Seventy-four patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into two groups as receiving vitamin D (100 μg/d equal to 4000 IU/d) or placebo for a 3-month period. Moreover, serum levels of insulin, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), vitamin D, HbA1c, aldose reductase (AR), O-linked N-acetyl glucosamine transferase (OGT), and glutamine fructose ‐6‐phosphate aminotransferase (GFPT), as well as the gene expression of mentioned enzymes in PBMCs were measured before and after the intervention. After 3-months intervention, 25 (OH) vitamin D level significantly increased in the vitamin D group. The expression of AR and GFPT genes significantly decreased and some significant differences were observed regarding the serum level of AR enzyme. Additionally, insulin showed significant increase following vitamin D intake. Our result show that, receiving 100 μg/d vitamin D in type 2 diabetes patients, for a 3-month period might be helpful for ameliorating diabetes complications not only by improving insulin level, but also by suppressing AR and GFPT gene expressions in PBMC.