Glycation and glycosylation in cardiovascular remodeling: Focus on advanced glycation end products and o‐linked glycosylations as glucose‐related pathogenetic factors and disease markers

Abstract

Glycation and glycosylation are non‐enzymatic and enzymatic reactions, respectively, of glucose, glucose metabolites, and other reducing sugars with different substrates, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Increased availability of glucose is a recognized risk factor for the onset and progression of diabetes‐mellitus‐associated disorders, among which cardiovascular diseases have a great impact on patient mortality. Both advanced glycation end products, the result of non-enzymatic glycation of substrates, and O‐linked‐N‐Acetylglucosaminylation, a glycosylation reaction that is controlled by O‐N‐AcetylGlucosamine (GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) and O‐ GlcNAcase (OGA), have been shown to play a role in cardiovascular remodeling. In this review, we aim (1) to summarize the most recent data regarding the role of glycation and O‐linked‐N‐ Acetylglucosaminylation as glucose‐related pathogenetic factors and disease markers in cardiovascular remodeling, and (2) to discuss potential common mechanisms linking these pathways to the dysregulation and/or loss of function of different biomolecules involved in this field.