Current advances in diabetic neuropathy: Proteins as therapeutic targets

Diabetic neuropathy is a debilitating complication of diabetes characterized by nerve damage that may lead to numbness, foot ulcers, and amputations, and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people with diabetes. There are no treatments available for diabetic neuropathy aside from pain management. Recent advances in protein research have identified potential targets associated with the disease development and progression. This review explores the latest studies identifying proteins as possible drug targets in diabetic neuropathy and their role in relevant processes such as polyol metabolism, oxidative stress, and cytokine regulation. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive view of current developments and discoveries at single cell and spatial resolution that have revealed deregulated protein profiles in the dorsal root ganglia, sciatic nerve, trigeminal ganglion, or Schwann cells. Finally, we discuss the benefits of proteomics technologies to identify proteins and associated signaling pathways to better understand the source of diabetic neuropathy.