Alterations in diabetes mellitus gene expression in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease: The PI3K/Akt pathway link

Abstract

Considered a neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) involves a physiopathological process characterized by the presence of the beta-amyloid peptide, hyperphosphorylated Tau protein, and neuroinflammation. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrine disease characterized by insulin resistance, where decreased production of this hormone causes a constant state of hyperglycemia. Although it is recognized that DM is a risk factor for the development of AD, the compression of the mechanisms involved is not completely understood. The present review evaluates the information acquired from primary and secondary sources, focusing on the alterations in gene expression associated with AD as well as the alterations in gene expression associated with DM, to later highlight the influence that these types of alterations developed in patients with DM can have on both the development and progression of AD. Finally, we point out those alterations that impact the phospha-tidyl Inositol 3 Kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) pathway, which seems to intervene in the physiopathological process of both diseases, considering that the compression of these gene alterations can help us understand the intricate link between DM and AD.