Galactose-induced retinal capillary basement membrane thickening: prevention by Sorbinil.
Normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats fed a 30% galactose diet until 15-21 months of age developed significant (P less than 0.05) retinal capillary basement membrane thickening, compared with animals fed a standard test diet. Animals on the high galactose diet containing 250 mg/kg of the aldose reductase inhibitor, Sorbinil, did not develop basement membrane thickening. No cytologic abnormalities of pericytes or endothelial cells were noted, and pericyte:endothelial cell nuclear ratios did not differ in the various experimental groups. This model reproduces a characteristic lesion of diabetes mellitus in non-diabetic animals, and should facilitate study of the biochemical mechanisms of basement membrane thickening.
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D005690:Galactose; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048289:Imidazolidines; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000648:ultrastructure
D007093:Imidazoles; D048289:Imidazolidines; C026411:sorbinil; D005690:Galactose