Advanced glycation end products in diabetes, cancer and phytochemical therapy

The irreversible glycation and oxidation of proteins and lipids produces advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These modified AGEs are triggered to bind the receptor for AGE (RAGE), thereby activating its downstream signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor (NF)-κB and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, ultimately leading to diabetes and cancers. In this review, we focus on the interaction of AGE–RAGE and their associated pathways. We also consider the activity of phytochemicals, such as genistein and curcumin, that trap dicarbonyl compounds including methylglyoxal (MG) and glyoxalase that arise from multiple pathways to block AGE formation and prevent its interaction with RAGE.