Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 in mesangial cells and retinal pericytes and its implications for diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy

Masarori Wakisaka; Tetsuhiko Nagao

doi:10.1093/glycob/cwx047

Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 in mesangial cells and retinal pericytes and its implications for diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy

Glycobiology. 2017 Aug 1;27(8):691-695. doi: 10.1093/glycob/cwx047.

Authors

Masarori Wakisaka¹, Tetsuhiko Nagao²

Affiliations

¹ Wakisaka Naika (Wakisaka Internal Medicine Clinic), Fujisaki 1-24-19, Fukuoka, 814-0013, Japan.
² Midori no Clinic (Midori Internal Medicine Clinic), Aoba 7-26-1, Fukuoka 813-0025, Japan.

Abstract

Retinopathy and nephropathy are life-threatening diabetic complications that decrease patient quality of life. Although the mechanisms underlying these conditions have been extensively studied, they remain unknown. Recent reports have demonstrated the presence of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) in retinal pericytes and mesangial cells. Hyperglycemia results in functional and morphological changes in these cells, but these effects are attenuated by phlorizin, a nonselective SGLT inhibitor. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that SGLT2 plays a pivotal role in the development of diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy and that SGLT2 inhibitors may directly protect against these complications.

Keywords: diabetic nephropathy; diabetic retinopathy; mesangial cell; retinal pericytes; sodium glucose cotransporter 2.