The effects of streptozocin-induced diabetes on renal plasma flow

To evaluate the significance of collagen levels, nonenzymatic glycation, and effective renal plasma flow in diabetes, we studied 52 Streptozocin induced-diabetic rats. After 10 weeks of diabetes, rats were injected i.v. 0.5 microCi/g 99mTechnetium Mercaptoacetyl triglycine and effective renal plasma flow was calculated from the renograms obtained. The collagen content and hydroxymethyl furfural levels of kidney and tail tissue as well as renal plasma flow increased significantly in diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The increase in renal plasma flow indicates that hyperperfusion may play a role in diabetic nephropathy mechanism. The correlation between renal plasma flow and glycation was not as high as the correlations between blood glucose concentrations and hydroxymethyl furfural and collagen levels, suggesting that factors other than glycation are important in increasing the renal plasma flow.