NQO1 and diabetes mellitus: However, as an antioxidant protective mechanism, perilesional skin tissues of patients with diabetes are under the influence of high oxidative stress, which induces compensatory activation of the Nrf2, downstream heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) genes, albeit not to normal levels [70].