Abstract: Objective To explore the effects of the endoplasmic reticulum molecular chaperone complex hypoxia up-regulated gene 1 (HYOU1) on apoptosis in diabetic Schwann cells and its mechanisms. 
Methods A diabetic peripheral neuropathy cell model was constructed from logarithmic growth phase Schwann cells RSC96 using high sugar medium and transfected with a plasmid overexpressing HYOU1. The expression of HYOU1 in RSC96 cell line was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The effect of HYOU1 on the apoptosis of RSC96 cells was detected by CCK8, fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. The effects of HYOU1 on apoptosis-related proteins and JAK-STAT signaling pathway were detected by Western blot. 
Results The results of RT-qPCR and Western blot assay indicated that the RSC96 cell line overexpressing HYOU1 had been successfully constructed. CCK8, fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry results showed that overexpression of HYOU1 resulted in a significant increase in cell viability and a significant decrease in the number of apoptotic cells (P＜0.05). Western blot results indicated that after overexpression of HYOU1, the anti-apoptotic factors increased significantly, the pro-apoptotic factors decreased significantly, and the activation of JAK-STAT pathway was inhibited (P＜0.05). 
Conclusion HYOU1 may inhibit the apoptosis of RSC96 cells induced by high glucose by inhibiting JAK-STAT pathway. 

Key words: diabetes mellitus, Schwann cells, JAK-STAT signaling pathway