ABSTRACT
It is evident that metabolic memory,whereby diabetic complications continue to develop and progress in individuals who returned to normal glycemic control after a period of transient hyperglycemia,has long lasting effects.Recent studies suggest that “metabolic memory” may be due to epigenetic changes in target oells.Understanding the molecular changes in chromatin structure and the functional relationship with altered signaling pathways is now considered to represent an important conceptual challenge to explain diabetes and the phenomenon of metabolic memory.Emerging evidences indicate that critical gene-activating epigenetic changes may confer future cell memories. Many experimental evidences show that histone acetyltransferases (HATs), histone deacetylases (HDACs),histone methyltransferases (HMTs),histone lysine demethylases (KDMs),and microRNAs play important roles in the epigenetic changes of several key genes related to diabetic complications. Transient hyperglycemia promotes gene-activating epigenetic changes and signaling events critical in the development and progression of diabetic vascular complications.Further characterisation of these glucose-induced epigenetic events and the identification of key enzymes involved will help us to develop new therapeutic strategies for diabetes and its complications.