These ligands bind to RAGE, and cause cell changes that appear to set off diabetes complications. Their goal is to develop therapies that could halt and eventually eliminate the occurrence of serious diabetes complications. However, unlike RAGE, sRAGE is not attached to the surface of the body's cell. An sRAGE-ligand complex would be harmless to the body. This deterioration of blood vessels also plays a central role in the eye, nerve and kidney damage that can occur with long-term diabetes.
Vascular disease begins when lesions occur in the inner walls of veins and arteries.
Center researchers will test sRAGE, described above, on rats that have diabetes to see whether the new drug could be effective against diabetes complications. Center researchers are also working to develop and test other substances that might be even better than sRAGE at blockading RAGE in diabetic vascular disease. In a person with diabetes, the kidneys can become clogged and eventually fail. Center researchers are also working to develop and test other substances that might be even better than sRAGE at blockading RAGE in diabetic nephropathy. If sRAGE is effective, it could prevent these two agents from binding to RAGE and inhibit the formation of the lesions that contribute to aggressive periodontal disease.