Studies of enzymes involved in glycoprotein synthesis and degradation in diacetylbenzidine nephrosis

Diacetylbenzidine was used to induce a nephrotic syndrome in female rats. Enzymes involved in glycoprotein metabolism were evaluated during an early stage of induced renal disease before extensive histologic changes occurred. The results show that lysosomal acid hydrolases are not activated or released to any measurable degree during the early stages of the disease. Minimal differences in the composition of glomerular basement membrane of nephrotic rats were found despite heavy proteinuria. Glomerular specific activities of certain glycoprotein:glycosyl transferases were depressed in nephrotic animals. A new viewpoint to explain the pathology of glomerular proteinuria is presented based on the phenomenon of sublethal autolysis affecting cell surface structure and function, of which activity levels of glycoprotein:glycosyl transferases are an example. Increased activities of glycosyl transferases and Na-D ATPase were noted in the cortex from nephrotic animals. These studies involving cortex indicate that the pathologic process is not confined to the glomerulus and may contribute information concerning Na+ transport in the nephrotic rat.