Diabetes is characterized by high glucose levels in the circulation which increases endothelial ROS production through auto-oxidation of glucose, NADPH-oxidases, eNOS uncoupling, and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to DNA damage and subsequent activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) (Du et al., 2003; Forrester et al., 2018). The gene discussed is PARP1; the disease is diabetes mellitus.