The in vitro and in vivo inhibition of protein glycosylation and diabetic vascular basement membrane thickening by pyridoxal-5'-phosphate.

We studied the effect of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PAL-P) on protein glycosylation and diabetic nephropathy in NSY mice. In experiment 1, an in vitro model of the browning phenomenon involving the incubation of lysine and glucose was inhibited by PAL-P. In experiment 2, administration of PAL-P to congenitally diabetic NSY mice markedly reduced the thickening of the glomerular basement membrane. These results suggest that PAL-P has the potential to be used for reducing the nephrotic complications of diabetes mellitus.