Urinary sulphated glycosaminoglycans and Tamm-Horsfall protein in type 1 diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
In diabetic nephropathy there is a decrease in glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in basement membranes and in Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) in the distal tubules of the kidneys. Since GAG is present in both glomerular and tubular basement membranes, and the synthesis of both GAG and THP involves glycosylation, this study was carried out in order to investigate whether urinary excretion of these substances is interrelated.


METHODS
24-h urinary collections were analysed. A total of 94 diabetic patients were grouped in accordance with the urinary albumin excretion rate as normo- (<20 microg/min) (n = 35), micro- (20-200 microg/min) (n = 30) and macroalbuminuria (>200 microg/min) (n = 29).


RESULTS
In comparison with 26 control subjects, the excretion rate of GAG was decreased in patients with micro- and macroalbuminuria and excretion of Tamm-Horsfall protein in patients with macroalbuminuria. The excretion rates of GAG and THP were associated (r = 0.64, p < 0.001) and correlated with creatinine clearance (r= 0.46 and r= 0.53, p < 0.001; respectively) but not with levels of HbA1c.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, albuminuria was associated with decreased urinary excretion of sulphated GAGs, which was associated with the excretion rate of Tamm-Horsfall protein, indicating that excretion of GAG was associated with distal tubular dysfunction in diabetic patients.
Torffvit
O
O
Medical Department, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Ole.Torffvit@med.lu.se
D000419:Albuminuria / Q000209:etiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D009088:Mucoproteins / Q000652:urine*; D058949:Uromodulin
D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D009088:Mucoproteins; C548612:UMOD protein, human; D058949:Uromodulin