Prevention of diabetic glomerulopathy in streptozotocin diabetic rats by insulin treatment.

Glomerular basement membrane thickness (GBMT) has been measured in streptozotocin diabetic rats treated with insulin. The study included 3 groups of 8 rats each: 1) a 'well-controlled' group of diabetic rats under insulin treatment with a plasma glucose level reasonable close to normal values, 2) a 'poorly-controlled' group also under insulin treatment with constant high plasma glucose values, and 3) an age and weight matched non-diabetic control group. After 6 months of diabetes, GBMT was measured applying an intercept method on 3 glomerular cross sections from each of the 24 animals. The measurements showed that mean GBMT was 132.2. nm in the non-diabetic control rats and 131.6 nm in the 'well-controlled' diabetic rats. In the 'poorly-controlled' group the man GBMT was 140.4 nm, i.e. statistically significant increased when compared to each of the two other groups, 2p = 0.022 and 0.012 respectively. The results demonstrate that good blood glucose control in rats preserves normal GBMT.