Changes in steady-state levels of mRNAs coding for type IV collagen, laminin and fibronectin following capillary basement membrane thickening in human adult onset diabetes.

The development of capillary basement membrane thickening has been linked to microvascular changes known to occur in tissues of patients with type II diabetes. Previous evidence has suggested that capillary basement membrane thickening is due to increased basement membrane synthesis. In this study, skin samples from 8 diabetic patients with confirmed capillary basement membrane thickening and 7 non-diabetic controls were used to assess steady state levels of mRNAs coding for several basement components including pro alpha 1(IV) collagen, laminin and fibronectin. Total RNA was extracted from abdominal skin samples and levels of mRNAs coding for the basement membrane components laminin, fibronectin and pro alpha 1(IV) collagen, a fibrillar collagenous protein, pro alpha 1(I) collagen and an intracellular polypeptide, gamma-actin, were determined by dot blot hybridization analysis. While there were no changes of steady state levels of pro alpha 1(I) collagen mRNA and laminin mRNA, a significant reduction was noted in the quantitative recovery of mRNA levels for pro alpha 1(IV) collagen, gamma-actin and fibronectin in total RNA isolated from the skin of diabetic patients. This reduction in levels of mRNAs coding for basement membrane components contrasts with pathological confirmation of an accumulation of endothelial capillary basement membrane in skin from diabetic patients and suggests that basement membrane thickening arises more as a consequence of reduced basement membrane degradation than elevated synthesis of basement membrane components.