[Diabetes mellitus and the biosynthesis of porphyrins]

The blood and urine porphyrin content and porphyrin biosynthesis in the red blood cells after delta-amino levulinic acid (ALA) incubation, porphobilinogen and non-consumed ALA levels, porphobilinogen-synthetase activity were studied in 86 patients divided into 3 groups depending on diabetes severity. Porphyrin separation was investigated by means of thin-layer chromatography. It was found that porphyrin biosynthesis decreases in all diabetics at the early periods of the disease, not depending on its severity. Porphyrin biosynthesis is lowered during a phase of chronic renal insufficiency in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Porphyrin metabolic disorder is caused by hepatic dysfunction and diabetic nephropathy development.