Diabetic retinopathy and Type 3 Diabetes Role of Homocysteine

Homocysteine is a sulphur amino acid converted to methionine to a remethylation pathway and to cysteine via transulphuration patway. Its level in the blood increase with age and are associated with several pathologies: cancer, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. The present thesis has focused on the study of the relationship between elevated levels of homocysteine and the deficiency of his metabolites, focusing on folate, in the severity of diabetic retinopathy (non- proliferative and proliferative). Then it had been investigated whether retinal Hcy is associated with retinal neurodegeneration. Histopathological, molecular, and biochemical abnormalities have commonalities in Diabetes and Alzheimer s Disease (AD), which has lead to AD recently termed as "Type 3 Diabetes". Therefore, the present study has focused to evaluate the role of homocysteine in animal models of Type 2 Diabetes (Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats) and Alzheimer Disease (TASTPM transgenic mice).