FORMATION OF PLASMA ADVANCED GLYCOSYLATION END-PRODUCTS (AGES) HAS NOINFLUENCE ON PLASMA VISCOSITY

Plasma viscosity is mainly determined by large non-spherical proteins. in Type 1 diabetes mellitus, plasma viscosity increases with deterior ation of diabetic control. Since protein glycation and formation of ad vanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) alter the structural and func tional properties of proteins, AGEs might influence the rheological pr operties of plasma proteins. Therefore, We investigated the influence of plasma-AGEs on plasma viscosity in 34 normoalbuminuric diabetic pat ients (17 Type 1, 17 Type 2) with normal renal and liver function. in are additional experiment, 6 ml plasma of 9 healthy volunteers were in cubated under sterile conditions for 14 days at 37.5 degrees C in the presence of 5.2 and 32.9 mmol l(-1) glucose. In diabetic patients, pla sma-AGE levels were not correlated with plasma viscosity. Plasma-AGE l evels in healthy controls (246 +/- 37 U ml(-1), mean +/- SD) were rais ed significantly (p<0.001) after the incubation at 37.5 degrees C (392 +/- 57 U ml(-1) and 552 +/- 58 U ml(-1), respectively), However, no d ifference was found in plasma viscosity pre-and post-incubation (pre-i ncubation: 1.25 +/- 0.04 mPas, post-incubation: 1.23 +/- 0.03 and 1.24 +/- 0.03, respectively). We conclude that there is no influence of pl asma-AGEs an plasma viscosity. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.