THIAPROLINE REDUCES GLOMERULAR-BASEMENT-MEMBRANE THICKNESS AND COLLAGEN ACCUMULATION IN THE DB DB MOUSE/

Glomerular basement membrane thickening and mesangial expansion are th e main pathological features in diabetic nephropathy - glomerulosclero sis with the biochemical correlate of increased collagen accumulation. We studied a new principle to reduce collagen accumulation in the glo merulus:thiaproline, known to inhibit protein synthesis by blocking th e elongation, led in our studies to a morphological reduction of the g lomerular basement membrane thickening and to a decreased collagen con tent. As the thiaproline analogue is incorporated into collagen, the m echanism of increased degradation of the modified collagen is being di scussed.