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Biomedical subjects

K Chang

Publications and source records attributed to K Chang.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Increased regional vascular albumin permeation in the rat during anaphylaxis.

The changes in vascular albumin permeation induced by systemic anaphylaxis were studied simultaneously in 21 different tissues of the same animal. Before Ag challenge sensitized rats were injected i.v. with 125I-albumin (test tracer), 51Cr-RBC (vascular space marker) and 57Co-EDTA (extravascular space marker). The index of vascular permeation used was the tissue to blood isotope ratio (tbir), which was obtained by dividing the ratio of 125I/51Cr counts in each tissue by the ratio of the same isotopes in the arterial blood sample. After Ag challenge, the increase in the tbir varied considerably among the different tissues. The most pronounced increase was noted in the lymph node (ninefold) followed by the aorta and mesentery (six- to sevenfold) and the various parts of the gastrointestinal tract (four- to sixfold). In the skin less than skeletal muscle less than lung less than liver and eye two- to fourfold increases occurred. Relatively minor increases in albumin permeation (less than twofold) were observed in the brain less than kidney less than heart and less than spleen. The testis was the only organ in which no significant change occurred. For some of the tissues there was also an increase in the tbir for 57Co/51Cr (an index of the extracellular fluid space) suggesting edema formation. The highest increase was noted in the aorta (fourfold). Minor increases occurred in the atrium of the heart, stomach, duodenum, and lymph nodes. There was also a 36% increase in hematocrit. Therefore, systemic anaphylaxis caused extensive extravasation of albumin and hemoconcentration.

Anaphylaxis↗

Effects of very mild versus overt diabetes on vascular haemodynamics and barrier function in rats.

Rats injected i.p. with a single dose of nicotinamide (250 mg/kg) 15 min prior to i.v. injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) develop a very mild form of diabetes characterized by slight elevations of plasma glucose, increased levels of HbA1, and reduced insulin secretion in response to an i.v. glucose tolerance test. These rats gain weight normally and they are not hyperphagic, glycosuric, or polyuric. The effects of this very mild form of diabetes vs overt streptozotocin diabetes of three months duration on regional vascular 131I-albumin clearance, blood flow (assessed by 15 microns 85Sr-microspheres), and renal filtration function were examined in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Plasma glucose levels of rats with mild diabetes were 7.4 +/- 0.9 (mean +/- SD) (mmol/l) vs 6.5 +/- 0.6 for control rats and 31.3 +/- 6.0 for overtly diabetic rats. HbA1 levels were increased 1.4 fold in mildly diabetic and 2.3 fold in overtly diabetic rats. Vascular clearance of 131I-albumin was markedly increased in ocular tissues (anterior uvea, retina, and choroid), sciatic nerve, aorta, new (subcutaneous) granulation tissue, and kidney of both diabetic groups, although increases in overtly diabetic rats exceeded those in the mildly diabetic group (2.2-4.6 times control animals vs 1.6-3.3 times, respectively). Likewise, both overt and very mild diabetes markedly increased glomerular filtration rate (approximately 1.8 times and 1.2 times control animals, respectively), urinary excretion of endogenous albumin (approximately 9 times and 4 times) and IgG (approximately 15 times and 4 times), as well as regional blood flow in the anterior uvea, choroid, and sciatic nerve. Increases in tissue sorbitol levels were much larger in overtly diabetic rats (generally 10-20 times control animals) than in mildly diabetic rats (1.5-3 times controls). myo-Inositol levels were significantly decreased only in lens and sciatic nerve of overtly diabetic rats. These observations indicate that even very mild diabetes is associated with vascular functional changes which develop more slowly than in overtly diabetic rats, but are disproportionately large (in view of the minimal increases in glycaemia and tissue polyol levels) compared to those in overtly diabetic rats.

Animals↗

Effects of hypothyroidism on vascular 125I-albumin permeation and blood flow in rats.

Effects of hypothyroidism on vascular 125I-albumin permeation and on blood flow were assessed in multiple tissues of male Sprague-Dawley rats rendered hypothyroid by dietary supplementation with 0.5% (wt/wt) 2-thiouracil or by thyroidectomy. In both thiouracil-treated and thyroidectomized rats, body weights, kidney weight, arterial blood pressure, and pulse rate were decreased significantly v age-matched controls. After 10 to 12 weeks of thiouracil treatment, 125I-albumin permeation was increased significantly in the kidney, aorta, eye (anterior uvea, choroid, retina), skin, and new granulation tissue, remained unchanged in brain, sciatic nerve, and heart, and was decreased in forelimb skeletal muscle. A similar pattern was observed in thyroidectomized rats, except that increases in 125I-albumin permeation for all tissues were smaller than those observed in thiouracil-treated rats, and 125I-albumin permeation in retina did not differ from controls. In both thiouracil-treated and thyroidectomized rats, changes in blood flow (assessed with 15-microns, 85Sr-labeled microspheres) relative to the decrease in arterial blood pressure were indicative of a decrease in regional vascular resistance except in the choroid and in the kidney, in which vascular resistance was increased significantly. Glomerular filtration rate was decreased, but filtration fraction and urinary excretion of albumin remained unchanged by thiouracil treatment and thyroidectomy. These results indicate that vascular hemodynamics and endothelial cell barrier functional integrity are modulated in many different tissues by the thyroid. In view of the correspondence of hypothyroid- and diabetes-induced vascular permeability changes, these results raise the possibility that altered thyroid function in diabetes may play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular disease.

Animals↗

The role of bone scan and radiography in the diagnostic evaluation of suspected pedal osteomyelitis.

The authors reviewed the three-phase bone scans and radiographs of 24 patients with suspected pedal osteomyelitis who also had histologic confirmation of the diagnosis. Twenty patients had a pedal ulcer, cellulitis, or necrosis. Sensitivity and specificity of bone scanning were 70% and 43% respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of radiography were 70% and 50% respectively. The non-invasive diagnosis of pedal osteomyelitis remains problematic due to the poor specificity of bone scans and radiographs.

Adult↗

Observation of Cytoplasmic and Vacuolar Malate in Maize Root Tips by C-NMR Spectroscopy.

The accumulation of malate by maize (Zea mays L.) root tips perfused with KH(13)CO(3) was followed by (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectra contained distinct signals from two pools of malate in maize root tips, one at a pH approximately 5.3 (assigned to the vacuole) and one at a pH > 6.5 (assigned to the cytoplasm). The ratio of cytoplasmic to vacuolar malate was lower in 12 millimeter long root tips than in 2 millimeter root tips. The relatively broad width of the signals from C1- and C4-labeled vacuolar malate indicated heterogeneity in vacuolar pH. During the 3 hour KH(13)CO(3) treatment, (13)C-malate accumulated first primarily in the cytoplasm, increasing to a fairly constant level of approximately 6 millimolar by 1 hour. After a lag, vacuolar malate increased throughout the experiment.

Journal Article↗

Dependence of Ethanolic Fermentation, Cytoplasmic pH Regulation, and Viability on the Activity of Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Hypoxic Maize Root Tips.

We examined the role of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in the metabolism and survival of hypoxic maize (Zea mays L.) root tips. The dependence of the rate of ethanolic fermentation, cytoplasmic pH, and viability on the activity of ADH in maize root tips during extreme hypoxia was determined. Maize lines with ADH activities differing over about a 200-fold range were studied. Effects of genetic background were controlled by comparing pairs of F4 progeny of crosses between mutant (low ADH activity) and reference inbred lines. The capacity of hypoxic root tips to perform ethanolic fermentation exhibited a dependence on ADH activity only at activities found in Adh 1 nulls. The ability of maize root tips to withstand prolonged and extreme hypoxia was like-wise independent of ADH activity, except at the lowest activities. Root tips that exhibited lower tolerance of hypoxia had more acidic cytoplasm during extreme hypoxia. We conclude that the activity of ADH in normal maize root tips does not limit the capacity for energy production via fermentation, and does not determine viability under extreme hypoxia. The significance of the induction of ADH activity in plants by hypoxia is discussed.

Journal Article↗

Mechanisms underlying atriopeptin-induced increases in hematocrit and vascular permeation in rats.

Infusion of atriopeptin into humans and animals induces diuresis, natriuresis, hemodynamic changes, and an increase in arterial hematocrit. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism(s) responsible for the increase in hematocrit in rats given atriopeptin-24 (AP-24). Infusion of AP-24 for 30 minutes increased large vessel and total vascular hematocrits by 10-15% while decreasing microvascular hematocrits by 9-26% in numerous tissues. Regional vascular permeation by [131I] bovine serum albumin was markedly increased (2-5.6-fold) in many tissues, consistent with a 16% decrease in plasma volume. AP-24 infusion had no effect on extracellular fluid volume or the volume of circulating red cells. Vascular resistance was decreased and was associated with a significant increase in blood flow in many, but not all, tissues. In the atrium and in the small and large intestine the percentage decrease in microvascular hematocrit exceeded the increase in blood flow. These observations indicate that the increase in large vessel hematocrit induced by AP-24 infusion 1) is accompanied by a decrease in (microvascular) hematocrit in many tissues, 2) reflects an increase in overall (i.e., total vascular hematocrit), and 3) is the consequence of a decrease in plasma volume resulting from a marked increase in the rate of vascular permeation by plasma constituents in multiple tissues.

Animals↗

Prevention of hemodynamic and vascular albumin filtration changes in diabetic rats by aldose reductase inhibitors.

This study investigated hemodynamic changes in diabetic rats and their relationship to changes in vascular albumin permeation and increased metabolism of glucose to sorbitol. The effects of 6 wk of streptozocin-induced diabetes and three structurally different inhibitors of aldose reductase were examined on 1) regional blood flow (assessed with 15-microns 85Sr-labeled microspheres) and vascular permeation by 125I-labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 2) glomerular filtration rate (assessed by plasma clearance of 57Co-labeled EDTA) and urinary albumin excretion (determined by radial immunodiffusion assay). In diabetic rats, blood flow was significantly increased in ocular tissues (anterior uvea, posterior uvea, retina, and optic nerve), sciatic nerve, kidney, new granulation tissue, cecum, and brain. 125I-BSA permeation was increased in all of these tissues except brain. Glomerular filtration rate and 24-h urinary albumin excretion were increased 2- and 29-fold, respectively, in diabetic rats. All three aldose reductase inhibitors completely prevented or markedly reduced these hemodynamic and vascular filtration changes and increases in tissue sorbitol levels in the anterior uvea, posterior uvea, retina, sciatic nerve, and granulation tissue. These observations indicate that early diabetes-induced hemodynamic changes and increased vascular albumin permeation and urinary albumin excretion are aldose reductase-linked phenomena. Discordant effects of aldose reductase inhibitors on blood flow and vascular albumin permeation in some tissues suggest that increased vascular albumin permeation is not entirely attributable to hemodynamic changes. We hypothesize that 1) increases in blood flow may reflect impaired contractile function of smooth muscle cells in resistance arterioles and 2) increases in vascular 125I-BSA permeation and urinary albumin excretion reflect impaired vascular barrier functional integrity in addition to increased hydraulic conductance secondary to microvascular hypertension associated with decreased vascular resistance.

Albuminuria↗

Effects of enprostil on cardiovascular and respiratory parameters in the dog, and on hematologic parameters in the rat, monkey, and human.

The effects of enprostil (+/-)-7-[(1R*,2R*,3R*)-3-hydroxy-2-[(E)-(3R*)-3-hydroxy-4-phenoxy-1- butenyl]-5-oxocyclopentyl]-4,5-heptadienoate) were studied on cardiovascular and respiratory parameters in the dog and on hematologic parameters in the rat, monkey, and human. Anesthetized dogs were instrumented to allow measurement of heart rate, systemic blood pressure, respiratory rate or tracheal pressure, and ventricular contractile force after intragastric (i.g.) or intravenous (i.v.) administration of enprostil in the presence or absence of autonomic challenges. The effects of intraduodenal (i.d.) enprostil on arterial and venous PO2, PCO2, and pH; respiratory rate, flow rate, and volume; blood pressure (b.p.); and heart rate were also examined. Enprostil i.v. (0.3-10 micrograms/kg) significantly increased tracheal pressure in a dose-dependent manner, but minimally altered b.p., heart rate, and ventricular contractile force. Enprostil i.v. (1-10 micrograms/kg) significantly inhibited pressor and depressor responses to several autonomic challenge agents at the highest dose level, indicative of a nonspecific inhibitory effect on b.p. responses. Cardiovascular effects of enprostil (1-100 micrograms/kg i.g.) were absent. Enprostil (10-3,000 micrograms/kg i.d.) had no noteworthy effects on respiratory parameters in the dog. Platelet aggregation effects of enprostil were studied in vitro using platelet rich plasma (PRP) from the rat, monkey, and human; whole blood clotting time and prothrombin time after oral enprostil were studied in the rat; and ex vivo effects on platelet activation were studied in humans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Tumor-initiating activity of the bay-region dihydrodiols and diol-epoxides of dibenz[a,j]anthracene and cholanthrene on mouse skin.

The tumor-initiating activity of dibenz[a,j]anthracene, (+/-)dibenz[a,j]anthracene-trans-3,4-diol and (+/-)dibenz[a,j]-anthracene-anti-3,4-diol-1,2-epoxide in mouse skin was examined and compared to that of cholanthrene, (+/-) cholanthrene-trans-9,10-diol and (+/-)cholanthrene-anti-9,10-diol-7,8-epoxide. The tumor-initiating activity of these compounds dissolved in acetone or in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was also compared. In acetone, dibenz[a,j]anthracene was a weak tumor initiator with maximal tumor yields of 1.27 and 3.00 per mouse at 400 and 800 nmol doses, respectively. At the 400 nmol dose, the diol of this compound was slightly more active than the parent compound while the tumorigenic activity of the diol-epoxide was significantly higher. The diol-epoxide was almost three times more active than the parent compound as a tumor-initiator. Cholanthrene was a moderate tumor-initiator with maximal tumor yields of 6.90 and 8.86 tumors per mouse at 200 and 600 nmol doses, respectively, after 20 weeks of promotion. At comparable doses, (+/-)cholanthrene-trans-9,10-diol was approximately 50% as potent as cholanthrene as a tumor initiator whereas the diol-epoxide was only minimally active. Replacing the acetone with THF as solvent vehicle increased the tumor-initiating activity of cholanthrene-diol-epoxide; however, the parent compound still retained higher tumor-initiating activity than its bay-region diol-epoxide. The low tumorigenic activity of cholanthrene-diol-epoxide is thought to reflect the high chemical reactivity and low stability of this derivative, which may prevent it from penetrating to epidermal targets. In contrast, the bay-region diol-epoxide derivative of dibenz[a,j]anthracene appears to be stable enough to exert greater biologic activity when applied to mouse skin.

Animals↗

Effect of rapid normalization of plasma glucose levels on microvascular dysfunction and polyol metabolism in diabetic rats.

Effects of rapid normalization of plasma glucose levels (by insulin infused via Alzet pumps implanted intraperitoneally) on plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels, granulation tissue polyol levels, and vascular permeation by 125I-labeled albumin were examined in male Sprague-Dawley rats with streptozocin-induced (60-65 mg/kg) diabetes. Two days after implantation of pumps, plasma insulin levels were twice normal levels and remained elevated (1.4-2.5 times normal) throughout the remainder of the study. Plasma glucose levels and granulation tissue polyol levels were normalized within 2 days after initiation of insulin treatment. Plasma IGF-I levels were significantly increased (2 times) by 2 days, but were not normalized until 7 days. In contrast, 125I-albumin permeation normalized at a much slower relatively linear rate and was still not completely normal after 14 days of insulin treatment. In view of 1) previous studies demonstrating that diabetes-induced increases in 125I-albumin permeation in this tissue are linked to increased metabolism of glucose to sorbitol and 2) the rapid normalization of tissue polyol levels in this study, the relatively linear rate of normalization of vascular permeability over 14 days in these studies suggests that impaired vascular barrier functional integrity in this model is mediated by structural and/or functional vascular alterations associated with sustained increased polyol metabolism rather than by increased polyol levels per se and/or by readily reversible functional and metabolic alterations associated with acute increases in polyol metabolism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Increased ocular blood flow and 125I-albumin permeation in galactose-fed rats: inhibition by sorbinil.

125I-Albumin permeation and blood flow (assessed with 15 micron, 85Sr-labelled microspheres) were determined in the retina, choroid, anterior uvea, and brain of male Sprague-Dawley rats fed diets containing 50% dextrin (control) or 50% galactose. Blood flow was increased in the retina, choroid, and anterior uvea but not in the brain of rats fed galactose for 3 weeks and 3 months versus controls, and was normalized by sorbinil (an inhibitor of aldose reductase) in the 3-week group. After 8 months of galactose feeding, blood flow was reduced to normal levels in the retina and was slightly below normal in the choroid; blood flow remained elevated in the anterior uvea but was significantly lower than that observed at 3 weeks and at 3 months. In rats fed galactose for 8 months, sorbinil completely normalized blood flow in the choroid, and decreased, but did not normalize, blood flow in the anterior uvea. 125I-Albumin permeation was increased in the retina, choroid, and anterior uvea of rats fed 50% galactose for 3 weeks, 3 months, and 8 months versus controls, but was unchanged in the brain. Sorbinil normalized 125I-albumin permeation in all three ocular tissues in 8-month galactose-fed rats. Polyol levels were increased significantly in all three ocular tissues of 3-week galactose-fed rats; sorbinil markedly decreased, but did not normalize, polyol levels in all three tissues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Purification, properties, and genetic location of Escherichia coli cytidine 5'-monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase.

N-Acetylneuraminic acid cytidylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.43) (CMP-NeuAc synthetase) catalyzes the formation of cytidine monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid. We have purified CMP-NeuAc synthetase from an Escherichia coli O18:K1 cytoplasmic fraction to apparent homogeneity by ion exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography on CDP-ethanolamine linked to agarose. The enzyme has a specific activity of 2.1 mumol/mg/min and migrates as a single protein and activity band on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme has a requirement for Mg2+ or Mn2+ and exhibits optimal activity between pH 9.0 and 10. The apparent Michaelis constants for the CTP and NeuAc are 0.31 and 4 mM, respectively. The CTP analogues 5-mercuri-CTP and CTP-2',3'-dialdehyde are inhibitors. The purified CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase has a molecular weight of approximately 50,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The gene encoding CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase is located on a 3.3-kilobase HindIII fragment. The purified enzyme appears to be identical to the 50,000 Mr polypeptide encoded by this gene based on insertion mutations that result in the loss of detectable enzymatic activity. The amino-terminal sequence of the purified protein was used to locate the start codon for the CMP-NeuAc synthetase gene. Both the enzyme and the 50,000 Mr polypeptide have the same NH2-terminal amino acid sequence. Antibodies prepared to a peptide derived from the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence bind to purified CMP-NeuAc synthetase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Further investigations into the effect of non-benzo ring bay-region methyl substituents on tumor-initiating activity of polycyclic hydrocarbons.

The effect of a methyl substituent at the non-benzo ring bay-region position of benzo[e]pyrene (B[e]P), cholanthrene (CA) and dibenz[a,j]anthracene (DB[a,j]A) on skin tumor-initiating activity was examined. A methyl substituent at the 1-carbon of B[e]P enhanced tumor-initiating activity of the parent compound (0.18 vs. 2.4 papillomas/mouse for B[a]P vs. 1-methyl-B[e]P, respectively, with an 800 nmol initiating dose). A methyl substituent at the 7- and 14-carbons of DB[a,j]A increased the activity of this weak initiator more than 13 times. The introduction of a methyl substituent at the non-benzo ring bay-region position of CA (i.e. carbon atom 6) dramatically increased tumor-initiating activity in SENCAR mice. 6-Methyl-CA was found to be a more potent skin tumor-initiator than 3-methyl-CA, and nearly as potent as 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, one of the most potent initiators yet tested in the 2-stage initiation-promotion mouse skin model. When taken together with previous results from our laboratories, the data further support the generality of the enhancing effect of a non-benzo ring bay-region methyl substituent on polycyclic hydrocarbon tumor-initiation.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

Galactose ingestion increases vascular permeability and collagen solubility in normal male rats.

In view of the similarity of cataracts and neuropathy in galactose-fed and diabetic rats, the present experiments were undertaken to determine whether consumption of galactose-enriched diets (10, 25, or 50% by weight) also increases collagen crosslinking and permeation of vessels by 125I-albumin analogous to that observed in diabetic rats. The observations in these experiments: demonstrate that consumption of galactose-enriched diets for 3 wk selectively increases 125I-albumin permeation of the same vascular beds affected in diabetic rats and by diabetic vascular disease in humans (i.e., the aorta and vessels in the eye, kidney, sciatic nerve, and new tissue formed in the diabetic milieu); demonstrate that the susceptibility of the vasculature to aldose reductase-linked injury (increased permeability) varies greatly in different tissues; indicate that collagen solubility (crosslinking) changes in galactose-fed rats differ sharply from those in diabetic rats; and provide new evidence that consumption of galactose-enriched diets induces a hypogonadal state in male rats.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

Increased vascular permeability in spontaneously diabetic BB/W rats and in rats with mild versus severe streptozocin-induced diabetes. Prevention by aldose reductase inhibitors and castration.

125I-labeled albumin permeation (IAP) has been assessed in various tissues in spontaneously diabetic insulin-dependent female BB/W rats and in male Sprague-Dawley rats with severe or mild forms of streptozocin-induced diabetes (SS-D and MS-D, respectively). In BB/W diabetic rats and in rats with SS-D, indices of IAP were significantly increased in tissues and vessels predisposed to diabetic vascular disease in humans, including the eyes (anterior uvea, posterior uvea, and retina), sciatic nerve, aorta, kidney, and new vessels formed after induction of diabetes. No evidence of increased IAP was observed in heart, brain, testes, or skeletal muscle in BB/W or SS-D rats. In MS-D rats, indices of IAP were increased only in the kidney and in new vessels formed after the onset of diabetes. Marked tissue differences were observed in the effects of two structurally different aldose reductase inhibitors (sorbinil and tolrestat) and of castration on diabetes-induced increases in IAP and in tissue levels of polyols in SS-D rats. Both aldose reductase inhibitors and castration completely prevented diabetes-induced increases in IAP in new vessels and in sciatic nerve in BB/W and SS-D rats. Both aldose reductase inhibitors also markedly decreased IAP in the anterior uvea (approximately 85%), posterior uvea (approximately 65-75%), retina (approximately 65-70%), and kidney (approximately 70-100%); castration reduced IAP in the anterior uvea (approximately 55%), kidney (approximately 50%), and retina (approximately 30%) but had no effect on the posterior uvea. The diabetes-induced increases in IAP in the aorta were reduced only slightly (approximately 20%) by aldose reductase inhibitors and castration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aldehyde Reductase↗

Islet transplants in diabetic Lewis rats prevent and reverse diabetes-induced increases in vascular permeability and prevent but do not reverse collagen solubility changes.

The effects of islet transplantation on diabetes-induced increases in vascular permeability and collagen solubility were examined in new granulation tissue vessels and collagen formed after induction of streptozotocin diabetes in male Lewis rats. Albumin permeation was increased by 50% (p less than 0.001) and collagen solubility was decreased by 50% (p less than 0.001) in granulation tissue from untreated diabetic animals as compared with controls. The islet transplants reversed diabetes-induced vascular permeability increases in tissues formed prior to islet transplantation (tissue to blood isotope ratio = 2.1 +/- 0.1 - SD for controls, 3.2 +/- 0.2 for diabetic rats and 2.0 +/- 0.2 for diabetic rats given islets) and prevented permeability increases in new tissues formed following transplantation (tissue to blood isotope ratio = 2.1 +/- 0.1 for controls, 3.3 +/- 0.8 for diabetic rats and 1.9 +/- 0.2 for diabetic rats given islets). In contrast, while islet transplants prevented diabetes-induced decreased collagen solubility in tissues formed after transplantation (controls = 24%, diabetic rats = 12%, and diabetic rats given islets = 24%), collagen solubility in tissues formed prior to islet transplantation was virtually unaffected. These findings indicate that collagen changes induced by the diabetic milieu are not nearly as readily reversed by normalization of the diabetic milieu as (diabetes-induced) alterations in vascular functional integrity.

Animals↗