The College of Glycation is an educational video series dedicated to helping viewers understand one of the most critical and often overlooked processes in human biology: glycation. Led by Dr. Paul Reynolds, Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at Brigham Young University, this series explores how sugar interacts with proteins and fats in the body, forming harmful compounds called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). These compounds accelerate aging, contribute to chronic diseases, and play a key role in metabolic dysfunction. Each video is designed to break down complex topics into clear, practical insights. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, student, or simply someone seeking to improve your health, this series will give you a deeper understanding of the biological roots of inflammation, insulin resistance, and cellular damage—and what you can do to address them.
Curated by: PaulReynoldsPhD (74 videos)
Topic Glycation and autoimmune disorders: how advanced glycation end-products and RAGE signaling alter your own proteins until they look foreign, amplify inflammation, and help drive the immune system to attack the tissues it is meant to protect. Summary Paul Reynolds, biomedical scientist and Professor of Cell Biology, examines the role of glycation in autoimmunity in this episode of the College of Glycation. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) bind the multi-ligand receptor RAGE, activating NF-κB and creating a self-amplifying inflammatory loop that recruits more immune cells and produces more RAGE. Evidence links elevated AGEs and reduced protective soluble RAGE to rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and related rheumatic diseases. In type 1 diabetes, RAGE is expressed on both attacking immune cells and the targeted beta cells, promoting aggressive T-cell phenotypes while suppressing regulatory ones. Glycation also drives loss of self-tolerance by chemically modifying protein and DNA epitopes so that self-molecules no longer look like self. In multiple sclerosis lesions, methylglyoxal-derived AGEs accumulate in astrocytes while RAGE appears on nearby immune cells, feeding local neuroinflammation. Dietary AGEs from high-heat cooking further raise the inflammatory load and lower soluble RAGE. Practical levers include reducing dietary AGEs through gentler cooking methods, controlling blood glucose to limit endogenous glycation, and considering carnosine as a carbonyl scavenger. RAGE is a real contributor inside a redundant network rather than a single master switch, so the near-term wins remain the ones you control at the plate and in the kitchen. References and more For complete show notes and references, we invite you to become an Insider subscriber. You'll enjoy a weekly newsletter, premier early access to College of Glycation episodes with full reprints of cited publications, a dedicated College of Glycation question portal with live recorded answers, Paul's Weekly Research Review Podcasts, and more. Learn more: paulreynoldsphd.com Translation Notes You can click the gear icon at the bottom of this video to auto-translate captions. For example, to translate into French, select Subtitles, choose Auto-Translate, then first choose English, then choose Auto-Translate again, then choose French. Timestamps 0:00 Intro: Glycation feeds autoimmunity 0:32 Glycation basics & AGEs 1:49 RAGE as multi-ligand danger hub 3:16 NF-κB self-amplifying RAGE loop 3:58 Rheumatic diseases & low sRAGE 5:55 Lupus: high AGEs, low sRAGE 6:40 Type 1 diabetes: RAGE on T cells & islets 8:45 RAGE knockout: mixed mouse results 9:28 Loss of self-tolerance via epitope change 10:52 DNA/histone glycation in lupus 12:55 MS lesions: MGO AGEs + RAGE 15:01 Lower dietary AGEs & glucose 16:14 Carnosine as carbonyl scavenger 17:34 RAGE targeting still early 18:17 Glycation amplifies, does not solely cause autoimmunity NOTE The information presented is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Paul Reynolds is a biomedical scientist and professor of cell biology, not a licensed clinician. Always seek the advice of your own qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions. #Autoimmune #RheumatoidArthritis #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #RAGE #insulinresistance #Glycation #AGEs #inflammation #OxidativeStress #ROS #Redox #CollegeOfGlycation #Ketodiet #LowCarb #InsulinResistance #HealthyAging #SugarDamage #HealthyLiving #KetoDiet #LowCarb #HealthPodcast #AntiAging #Nutrition #BiomedicalScience #BloodSugar #Wellness #HealthTips #SciencePodcast #HealthyEating #CellularHealth #Keto #KetoCommunity #HealthEducation Paul’s favorite yerba mate: https://unicity.link/121f260bfe Yerbe mate with a special formulated Balance fiber: https://ufeelgreat.com/c/PaulReynolds Full Metabolic System storefront: https://shop.unicity.com/paulreynolds Paul’s favorite source for clean, earth-sourced essentials such as salt, electrolytes, hydration, pre-workout and more. Go to https://redmond.life and use PAULSALT for 15% discount. Paul’s favorite exogenous ketones: A high-quality option is the NSF-certified goBHB from Clean Form Nutrition, where you can use the code Paul10 for a 10% discount: https://cleanformnutrition.com/products/go-bhb Paul’s favorite allulose source: https://rxsugar.com (discount: PAUL20) Paul’s favorite health check-up for men or women: https://blokes.co/DRPAUL (discount: DRPAUL for 50% off of labs and smart supplements and 15% off all other products)