Estimation the  levels of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2–Related Factor 2 (Nrf-2) in Patients with type II diabetes mellitus

Hayder Abdulhussen Taher; Atheer Hameid  Al-Ghanimi; Hassan Haider  Khudhir

doi:10.17605/cajmns.v6i4.2905

Hayder Abdulhussen Taher Postgraduate student, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of kerbala, kerbala, Iraq
Atheer Hameid Al-Ghanimi Asst Prof. Nanotechnology Ph.D, Biochemistry Department, College of Medicine, University of Kerbala, Karbala, Iraq
Hassan Haider Khudhir Ph.D. Department of Clinical Biochemistry University of Kerbala, College of Medicine, Karbala, Iraq

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/cajmns.v6i4.2905

Keywords: Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2–Related Factor 2 (Nrf2), Oxidative Stress, Metabolic Dysfunction, Antioxidant Defenses

Abstract

Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and its precursor, pre-diabetes, are characterized by chronic oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction. Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2–Related Factor 2 (Nrf2), a master regulator of antioxidant defenses, are crucial in cellular protection. This study aimed to estimate the levels of serum Nrf2 in T2DM patients, pre-diabetic individuals, and healthy controls, and to evaluate their diagnostic potential. A case control was conducted. This study involved 88 individuals, including 46 type II diabetes patients,12 prediabetic and 30 volunteers as a control, with inclusion criteria including normal fasting blood sugar and haemoglobin A1c results. Blood samples were collected from both control and patient groups after 12 hours of fasting. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographics, medical history, and lifestyle, complemented by clinical evaluations by specialist physicians. Serum lipid panel were measured . Elisa system was used for the detection of Nrf2 level. The study groups were well-differentiated by HbA1c and lipid profiles, with DM and pre-DM groups exhibiting typical glycemic and dyslipidemic patterns. median serum Nrf2 levels were remarkably similar and largely overlapping across all three groups (medians: Healthy 26, Pre-DM 30, DM 29), indicating no significant difference. Nrf2 demonstrated poor diagnostic utility (AUCs < 0.63, p-values > 0.05). Serum Nrf2 levels do not appear to be a reliable prognostic indicator for these conditions. These findings underscore the potential of Nrf2 as a valuable non-invasive screening and monitoring tool in the context of impaired glucose metabolism.

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