The effect of insulin and aldose reductase inhibition on the phosphate metabolism of streptozotocin-diabetic rat lens.

Sorbitol-3-phosphate (S3P) and fructose-3-phosphate (F3P) are novel phosphorus compounds recently discovered and identified in the crystalline lens as well as other tissues. These phosphates increased with diabetes progression in streptozotocin-diabetic rat lenses. Treatment of these rats with an orally administered aldose reductase inhibitor eliminated S3P and intramuscularly injected insulin obliterated F3P. These results indicate that enzymes catalyzing S3P and F3P formation co-activate with aldose reductase activation and hyperglycemia, respectively.