THE EFFECT OF DIETARY-PROTEIN AND SUCROSE ON THE DIABETIC RAT-KIDNEY

The effect of 3 months feeding with diets of different protein and suc rose content (9% casein + 70% sucrose vs. 18% casein + 61% sucrose) on the development of diabetic nephropathy and changes in serum lipid sp ectrum was investigated in rats with insulin-dependent diabetes (strep tozotocin 45 mg.kg(-1)). Metabolism of diabetic animals (before the nu tritional regimen) was characterized by hyperglycaemia, moderate hyper lipidaemia, lipid accumulation in the liver and elevated creatinine co ncentration in the blood. Kidney weight and protein content were not s ignificantly changed. Histological picture of kidneys showed initial c hanges of glomerular structure. After three months hyperlipoproteinaem ia was more accentuated in animals given either of the two diets, the kidneys were hypertrophic with a higher protein content and displayed morphological changes of diabetic nephropathy. Animals given the low-p rotein diet developed smaller morphological changes both in glomeruli and tubuli. The study indicates that dietary protein and not hyperlipo proteinaemia is the major factor, which may significantly influence th e progress of diabetic nephropathy.