RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Chromosomal Aberrations and Exon 1 Mutation in the AKR1B1 Gene in Patients with Diabetic Neuropathy JF Ochsner Journal JO Ochsner J FD O. P. Jindal Global University SP 339 OP 342 VO 14 IS 3 A1 Radha Saraswathy A1 Sudhaa Anand A1 Sree Kumar Kunnumpurath A1 R. Jones Kurian A1 Alan David Kaye A1 Nalini Vadivelu YR 2014 UL http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/14/3/339.abstract AB Background Recent decades have seen an increase in our understanding of a number of pathophysiological processes associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Despite increases in understanding and treatment options, diabetic neuropathy remains a significant problem and is associated with tremendous morbidity and mortality. In this regard, oxidative DNA damage is postulated to play a role in diabetes-mediated neuropathic pathogenesis.Methods In this pilot investigation, we studied the extent of chromosomal damage utilizing chromosomal aberration (CA) assay in cultured lymphocytes of patients in 3 subgroups: patients with diabetic neuropathy, patients with type 2 DM and no neuropathy, and a control group.Results The patients with diabetic neuropathy showed a statistically significantly higher rate of CA (P<0.001, 0.086 ± 0.04) compared to the DM patients without neuropathy (0.03 ± 0.02). Samples from subjects with diabetic neuropathy were evaluated to check for mutations in the AKR1B1 gene (exon 1). A significant number of mutations appeared after DNA sequencing within the AKR1B1 gene. Of 50 diabetic neuropathy patient samples analyzed, 10 revealed mutations.Conclusion Our results suggest that painful diabetic neuropathy is a condition with enhanced genomic instability characterized by increased CA and possible mutations. Exon 1 of the gene AKR1B1 showed significant mutations in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy.