Recent Research on Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications 2.0

Dear Colleagues,

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes  coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has led not only to a global pandemic and a burden to public health but has also affected every aspect of our society and has undoubtedly changed the way science and medicine are conducted. Therefore, scientific and clinical investigations are ongoing at a dizzying speed and the rapidity of generating effective vaccines has been unprecedented. However, these scientific advances have also led to considerable shortcomings in other fields of research, such as diabetes. Continued support for basic research is more necessary than ever given the complexity associated with diabetes and its complications, and the growing number of people suffering from this common, chronic and costly disease.

Currently, treatment for diabetes consists of treating hyperglycemia by providing exogenous insulin and a supply of medication or by islet cell transplantation. However, the inability to achieve tight control of glucose regulation has motivated more efforts to develop other approaches to address diabetes and reduce the burden of existing diabetes complications. Moreover, the diabetes-based existence of a chronic inflammatory state, impaired immune response, impaired coagulation and other related complications could be among the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to the increased morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 patients with diabetes. Therefore, people at high risk for SARS-CoV2, such as those with diabetes, cardiovascular disease or immune disorders, should receive priority care and treatment if they contract COVID-19. In this regard, further molecular mechanistic approaches should be developed to better understand the existing correlation between COVID-19, diabetes and diabetes complications.

As Volume 1.0 of the Special Issue “Recent Research on Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications ” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/Diabetes_Mellitus_Complications) was successful, we therefore reopen this topic for volume 2.0 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms, ISSN 1422-0067, IF 5.924, JCR Category Q1). This second Special Issue aims to publish priority studies clarifying the recent advances in understanding the biochemical cellular and molecular mechanisms causing diabetes and diabetic complications.

The topic is broad, being focused on molecular biology, and is intended to cover basic research related, but not limited to:

• Gene regulation (specific transcription factors, epigenetics, microRNAs and non-coding RNAs).
• High-throughput “omics” (metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics).
• Islet development, β-cell dysfunction and allogenic islet and β-cell like transplantation.
• Experimental animal models for diabetes and its complications.
• Cardiovascular complications, diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and diabetic foot.
• Oxidative stress, obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, inflammation and immunomodulation.
• Stem cell and gene-based therapies, anti-diabetic drugs and small molecules.

Dr. Abdelkrim Hmadcha
Guest Editor

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