ERYTHROCYTE INSULIN RECEPTORS IN NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS

In 49 noninsulin dependent diabetes melrlitus(NIDDM) patients (33 males, 16 females) the concentration decreased of insulin receptor on erythro-cytes and normal levels of fasting plasma insulin ascompared with the control groups, suggesting thathyperinsulinemia may not be the sole cause for receptor defects in NIDDM. Comparison of insulinreceptors between obese and nonobese.NIDDM pa-tients indicated that such defects were more severein obese NIDDM patients than those in nonobeseones. A slight but signifciant increase of plasmahCH and cortisol was found in NIDDM, but it isunlikely that the decrease of insulin receptors inNIDDM is caused by the sligMy increased antagonistic hormones. The factors leading to insulin receptor defects in NIDDM are discussed.