Reduced glomerular angiotensin II receptor density in early untreated diabetes mellitus in the rat.

Density and affinity of glomerular angiotensin II (ANG II) receptors were determined in normal, untreated, and insulin-treated streptozotocin-diabetic rats 3-4 wk after the onset of diabetes mellitus. With low, intermediate, and high salt intake, angiotensin II receptor density varied inversely with the plasma renin concentration (PRC) in normal, insulin-treated, and untreated diabetic rats. PRC values with all three dietary regimens were lower in the untreated diabetic rats when compared with the other groups. Despite lower plasma renin concentration, however, untreated diabetic rats were also found to have significantly lower glomerular ANG II receptor concentrations at all levels of salt intake. On a normal salt intake, glomerular ANG II receptor density was reduced significantly in untreated diabetic rats (853 +/- 74 (SE) fmol/mg protein), compared with insulin-treated diabetic rats (1,185 +/- 118 fmol/mg) and normal controls (1,058 +/- 83 fmol/mg). ANG II receptor affinity did not change with alternations in salt intake or degree of diabetic control. Reduced glomerular ANG II receptor density in the presence of a suppressed renin-ANG II axis may underlie the altered renal vascular responsiveness to ANG II known to occur in diabetes mellitus.