Dear Colleagues,

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2); which causes 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19); has led not only to a global pandemic and a burden to public health but also has affected every aspect of our society and undoubtedly has changed the concept of 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 have been unprecedented. But these scientific advances have also led to considerable shortcoming advances 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.

Diabetes describes a group of conditions in which blood glucose is not properly regulated. Diabetes mellitus occurs when β-cells fail to secrete the insulin necessary to maintain the homeostasis of glucose in the blood. The most common forms of diabetes are type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T1DM results from a cell-mediated autoimmune destruction of β-cells; whereas in T2DM; insulin resistance from peripheral organs is coupled with insulin deficiency resulting from an insufficient β-cell mass or function. Other forms of diabetes include gestational diabetes (glucose intolerance during pregnancy) and monogenic forms in which mutations in key pancreatic genes are found (for example in Glucokinase; Pdx1; etc.). Over time; diabetes can lead to the development of different long-term complications such as retinopathy; neuropathy; nephropathy; critical ischemia of the limbs among other complications.

Currently; treatment of diabetes consists of treating hyperglycemia by providing an exogenous insulin and medications supply 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 people 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.

Altogether; this special issue aims to publish priority studies clarifying the recent advances in understanding the biochemical cellular and molecular mechanism causing diabetes and diabetic complications. Special attention will be given to research describing possible pathomechanisms and signaling pathways; new molecular and cellular key players; transcription factors; biomarkers; and therapeutic targets that may decipher the connection between diabetes and COVID-19.

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

• Gene regulation (specific transcription factors; epigenetics; microARNs and non-coding RNAs).
• High-throughput “omics” (metabolomics; transcriptomics; 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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• diabetes
• type 1 diabetes
• type 2 diabetes
• diabetes complications
• miRNA
• ncRNA
• epigenetic
• transcription factors
• insulin resistance
• insulin receptors
• metabolic pathways
• glucose homeostasis
• oxidative stress
• reactive oxygen species
• calcium homeostasis
• animal models
• β-cell
• stem cell
• immunomodulation
• inflammation