Methylglyoxal modulates immune responses: relevance to diabetes.

Increased methylglyoxal (MG) concentrations and formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are major pathways of glycaemic damage in diabetes, leading to vascular and neuronal complications. Diabetes patients also suffer increased susceptibility to many common infections, the underlying causes of which remain elusive. We hypothesized that immune glycation damage may account for this increased susceptibility.