RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYOINOSITOL INFLUX AND LIPIDS IN DIABETIC NEUROPATHY

Diabetic neuropathy is associated with abnormalities in lipid metaboli sm and has been postulated to be associated with abnormal myoinositol metabolism. Leucocyte myoinositol influx was measured using a triple i sotope method in long-standing type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic pat ients with and without diabetic neuropathy and in a group of matched c ontrols. No differences in fasting lipid, glucose concentrations or gl ycated haemoglobin were found in the diabetic groups. Myoinositol infl ux was significantly but negatively correlated with the serum very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol concentration in patients with and without neuropathy but not in the controls. The VLDL cholesterol concentration also correlated negatively with the transporter K(m) (R( S) = -0.87, P<0.005, neuropathic group only) and V(max) (R(S) = -0.93, P<0.001, neuropathic group; R(S) = -0.59, P<0.05, non-neuropathic gro up). Myoinositol influx correlated with the glycated haemoglobin only in the diabetic patients without neuropathy. The lipid relationships i n diabetic subjects were independent of glucose control, which suggest s that myoinositol influx mechanisms represent another transporter aff ected by intracellular lipid metabolism. The control of VLDL metabolis m by fibrates could offer a method for reducing the progression of dia betic neuropathy.