The effect of δ-gluconolactone, an oxidised analogue of glucose, on the nonenzymatic glycation of human and rat haemoglobin

Nonenzymatic glycation of proteins and oxidative stress are considered independent factors important in the development of the complications of diabetes but may be interrelated by the process of autoxidative glycation. This pathway involves monosaccharide autoxidation to a reactive ketoaldehyde analogue and subsequent reaction with protein to form a ketoimine adduct. This study demonstrates that δ-gluconolactone (δ-GL), an oxidised analogue of glucose, is a potent glycating agent in vitro of haemoglobin present in blood samples from insulin-dependent diabetic and non-diabetic human subjects and from spontaneously diabetic, insulin-dependent BB/Edinburgh (BB/E) rats. The percentage glycated haemoglobin after incubation (37°C, 5 h) with δ-GL (25 mmol/l) was significantly ( P