GLYCATED ALBUMIN - A MARKER OF GLYCEMIC STATUS IN RATS WITH EXPERIMENTAL DIABETES

Monoclonal antibodies that specifically recognize non-enzymatically gl ycated epitopes residing in albumin were used to measure levels of gly cated albumin in the plasma of control and streptozotocin diabetic rat s. Standard or sample was incubated with monoclonal antibody immobiliz ed onto preactivated tubes, and binding was detected with enzyme-conju gated polyclonal antibody to rat albumin and substrate. Rat glycated a lbumin exhibited a linear dose response in the assay, and plasma sampl es contained between 30-100 mu g/50 mu 1. Levels were significantly in creased in diabetic compared with control rats, and correlated positiv ely and significantly with mean blood glucose concentrations measured in the fasting and fed states. The results indicate that glycated albu min levels measured by immunoassay reflect recent integrated glycaemia and provide an objective index of glycaemic status in the rat experim ental model of diabetes.