title: Could non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus be attributable to a deficiency of FAD-linked glycerophosphate dehydrogenase?
abstract: In 12 out of 32 non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, the activity of FAD-linked glycerophosphate dehydrogenase in T lymphocyte homogenates was abnormally low when measured by both a colorimetric and radioisotopic procedure. A comparable situation characterized by a deficient activity of FAD-linked glycerophosphate dehydrogenase in both the colorimetric and radioisotopic assays was only observed once among 26 other subjects including 11 healthy volunteers, 9 non-diabetic patients, 5 type-1 (insulin-dependent) diabetics, and 1 pancreatectomized diabetic. By analogy, it is speculated that an impaired activity of FAD-linked glycerophosphate dehydrogenase in the insulin-producing pancreatic B-cell could represent a far-from-uncommon contributive factor in the pathogenesis of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Brussels Free University, Belgium.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Malaisse
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malaisse-Lagae
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kukel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reinhold
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sener
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003124:Colorimetry; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005182:Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide / Q000378:metabolism*; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000172:deficiency*; D005994:Glycerophosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D005994:Glycerophosphates; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D005182:Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide; C013574:iodonitrotetrazolium; C029620:alpha-glycerophosphoric acid; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase