Influence of streptozitocin-induced diabetes on glycosyltransferase activities in plasma and renal cortex.

The collagen glucosyltransferase of renal cortex is increased in experimental diabetes and this increased may be partially reversed or prevented by insulin treatment. The absence of any consistent increase in the plasma collagen glucosyltransferase level in diabetes argues against the enzyme's having a significant role in the pathological thickening of capillary basement membranes. The biological significance of the increased renal glucosyltransferase activity in chemically-induced diabetes must therefore remain in doubt but it is possible that the high glucose concentration in the blood simply stimulates the synthesis of new enzyme protein in the kidney.