[The role of specific blood serum factors in disrupting insulin binding to erythrocyte cell membrane receptors].

The alteration of indices of 125-I insulin binding to receptors in the reactions with human erythrocytes, with their membranes and with solubilized insulin receptors in the presence of type 2 diabetics' blood serum was demonstrated (decrease of the number of insulin binding sites and increase of the dissociation constant). Treatment of patients' erythrocytes with acetate buffer solution (0.1 M, pH 5, 150 mM sodium chloride) restored the level of specific binding of insulin to normal values. It is supposed that in insulin-independent diabetes mellitus patients' serum there are specific blocking factors which interact immediately with insulin receptors thus preventing them from hormone binding or reducing their affinity.