Summary Overactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) has been demonstrated to result in various stress-related diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Deficiency of cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD ϩ ) content, consumed by PARP-1 to add ADP-ribose moieties onto target proteins, contributes to pathophysiological conditions. Adenosine thiamine triphosphate (AThTP) exists in small amounts in mammals; however, the function(s) of this metabolite remains unresolved. The structure of AThTP resembles NAD Substantial recent experimental studies demonstrate beneficial impacts of high-dose thiamine on diabetic complications, such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic cardiomyopathy ( 1-4 ). However, the pharmacological relevance of high-dose thiamine treatments remains unknown.Chronic hyperglycemia results in diabetic complications in target organs. The pathogenic effect of high glucose is, at least partially, mediated to a significant extent through increased production of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species and subsequent oxidative stress (reviewed in Evans et al. ( 5 )). Increased oxidative stress activates the nuclear enzyme, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1). PARP-1 activation depletes its substrate, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD ϩ ), and also covalently attaches branched nucleic acid-like polymers of poly(ADP-ribose) to various acceptor proteins (reviewed in Kiss and Szabó ( 6 )). A covalently attached ADP-ribose polymer, poly(ADP-ribosylation, affects the function of target proteins. The involvement of PARP-1 activation in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications has recently been emphasized by both in vivo and in vitro studies (reviewed in Pacher and Szabó ( 7 ), and Szabó ( 8 )). NAD ϩ , used as substrate for PARP-1, consists of two nucleotides joined through their phosphate groups, with one nucleotide containing an adenine base and the other containing nicotinamide.Adenosine thiamine triphosphate (AThTP), a new thiamine derivative, was recently identified in Escherichia coli ( 9 ), followed by the identification in small amounts in mouse brain, heart, skeletal muscle, liver and kidneys ( 10 ). AThTP is composed of two molecules, an adenine base and thiamine, which are joined through phosphate groups. The structure of AThTP appears to closely resemble NAD ϩ . Although the biological role of AThTP is unknown, the existence of noncoenzyme functions of thiamine derivatives has been speculated (11)(12)(13)(14).In the context of 1) structural resemblance of AThTP to NAD ϩ , 2) the experimental evidence implicating PARP-1 as a causative factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications in vitro and in vivo (reviewed in Szabó ( 8 )), and 3) beneficial effects of highdose thiamine on diabetic complications, we hypothesized that AThTP could interact with PARP-1 and mod-E-mail: t.tanaka.md@gmail.com Abbreviations: AThTP, adenosine thiamine triphosphate; NAD ϩ , nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; PARP...