Immunoglobulin deposition in the microvasculature of the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat.
Diabetic patients are reported to develop deposits of immunoglobulins and complement in the microcirculation of the skeletal muscle, skin, pancreas, and kidney. In the diabetic rat, however, deposits of these plasma proteins had been previously noticed only in the kidney. We examined the microvasculature of kidney, quadriceps femorus muscle, pancreas, and tail of rats made diabetic by streptozotocin. Two months after the onset of diabetes, all structures examined by light microscopy were normal except for trace thickening of glomerular mesangial zones and basement membranes of skeletal muscle microvasculature. At 4 months, increase in periodic acid-Schiff-positive material was detected only in the glomeruli and in the microvasculature of the quadriceps muscle. Immunofluorescent studies performed on the diabetic rat at 2 and 4 months demonstrated prominent deposits of IgG in the microvessels of the quadriceps muscle, pancreas, tail, and glomeruli. C3 was limited primarily to skeletal muscle and cutaneous tail vessels of the 4-month diabetic animals. No consistent pattern of albumin deposition was detected in either the diabetic or the control group. We conclude that the rat made diabetic by streptozotocin develops immunoglobulins and complement within microvasculature of the kidney, skeletal muscle, pancreas, and tail.
D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009132:Muscles / Q000098:blood supply; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013623:Tail / Q000098:blood supply
D007136:Immunoglobulins