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Effect of islet transplantation on the glomerular changes in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

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Summary

Glomerular changes develop in rats with streptozotocin diabetes. The structure of these lesions (nodular and diffuse glomerulosclerosis, mesangial cell proliferation, basement membrane thickening, glomerular aneurysms, fibrinoid caps, glomerular adhesions) is described in the present paper and the effect of normalization of metabolism by islet transplantation on the glomerular changes is studied with histological, immunohistological and morphometric methods.

Isogenous islets were transplanted into the portal vein of streptozotocin-diabetic rats after diabetes of 7 months' duration. The kidneys of normal, diabetic and transplanted animals of the same age were studied 2.5 months later. Studies of the kinetics of immunocomplexes in the mesangium were also performed.

The renal changes (glomerulosclerosis, mesangial cell proliferation) were largely reversible after islet transplantation and the blood glucose level and glucose tolerance were normalized. In the diabetic animals the delayed uptake and elimination of immunocomplexes in the mesangium was normalized after the transplantation.

It is possible, that the cause of the lesions is a functional disturbance of the mesangium induced by insulin deficiency and/or hyperglycaemia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology, General Hospital, Klostenstr. 19, D-7630, Lahr, Germany

    H. Wehner & M. Staudenmeir

  2. Division of Clinical Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, D-6800, Mannheim, Germany

    W. Kösters & M. Strauch

Authors
  1. H. Wehner
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  2. W. Kösters
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  3. M. Strauch
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  4. M. Staudenmeir
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This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (We 468/9)

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Wehner, H., Kösters, W., Strauch, M. et al. Effect of islet transplantation on the glomerular changes in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 388, 137–154 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430683

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