Reduced glomerular thromboxane receptor sites and vasoconstrictor responses in diabetic rats

Glomerular thromboxane production and urinary thromboxane excretion are increased in early diabetes, but in spite of this renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate are significantly higher than in control animals. To study the possibility of a defect in thromboxane actions in the kidney, we have measured glomerular thromboxane receptors and the renal hemodynamic response to the administration of a stable thromboxane analog in diabetic rats. Glomerular thromboxane receptors were studied in hyperglycemic diabetic rats 7 to 10 days after injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, i.v.) and in normal controls. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding using the thromboxane antagonist, [3H]-SQ29548, demonstrated one class of high affinity thromboxane receptor sites in control (Kd = 19.9 +/- 2.6 nM, N = 16) and diabetic rats (Kd = 19.8 +/- 2.1 nM, N = 8, P = NS). The number of thromboxane receptors was reduced by 44% in diabetic rats (control, 374 +/- 20 vs. diabetic, 210 +/- 21 fmol/mg, P less than 0.01). Thromboxane binding in diabetic rats was not restored to normal levels by thromboxane synthetase inhibition with OKY046. Diabetic rats had higher renal blood flow (diabetic, 7.03 +/- 0.18 vs. control, 6.33 +/- 0.13 ml/min, P less than 0.05) and glomerular filtration rate (2.42 +/- 0.10 vs. 1.96 +/- 0.07 ml/min, P less than 0.05). Infusion of the stable thromboxane agonist, U46619 (0.1 micrograms/kg/min), reduced renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate in all animals, but the constrictor responses were blunted by 50% in hyperglycemic diabetic rats compared with normal controls or euglycemic diabetic rats (P less than 0.05). Control of blood glucose with insulin normalized the number of glomerular thromboxane receptor sites, reversed hyperfiltration and restored glomerular responses to thromboxane agonist. The abnormalities of glomerular thromboxane receptors are similar to changes in angiotensin II receptors, and suggest a generalized defect in vasoconstrictor receptors in the diabetic kidney.