Prevention of diabetic glomerulopathy in streptozotocin diabetic rats by insulin treatment

Abstract

Kidney weight and glomerular volume have been studied in groups of insulin-treated streptozotocin diabetic rats maintained at high, or nearly normal plasma glucose levels. Kidney weight and glomerular volume in these groups were compared to a non-diabetic control group. — Rats with nearly normal plasma glucose levels (95±35 to 182±20 mg/100ml) had the same kidney weight as the non-diabetic controls, 1.04±0.14 and 1.07±0.09 g, respectively. In the rats with constant high plasma glucose (338±71 to 555±86 mg/100ml) kidney weight was significantly increased, 1.73±0.20 g, compared to each of the two other groups. Glomerular volume was 0.599 Mμ³ in the diabetic animals with nearly normal plasma glucose, a value very close to that of the non-diabetic controls, 0.587 Mμ³. In animals with high plasma glucose concentrations glomerular volume was 0.775 Mμ³, 2 p<0.03 compared with both other groups. — The study indicates that good diabetic control for 6 months prevents the development of large kidneys and large glomeruli in dibatic rats.