Renal protein synthesis in diabetes mellitus: effects of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I

Is increased synthesis of proteins responsible for the hypertrophy of kidney cells in diabetes mellitus? Does the lack of insulin, and/or the effect of insulin-like growth factor I (IGFI) on renal tubule protein synthesis play a role in diabetic renal hypertrophy? To answer these questions, we determined the rates of 3H-valine incorporation into tubule proteins and the valine-tRNA specific activity, in the presence or absence of insulin and/or IGFI, in proximal tubule suspension isolated from kidneys of streptozotocin diabetic and control rats. The rate of protein synthesis increased, while the stimulatory effects of insulin and IGFI on tubule protein synthesis were reduced, early (96 hours) after induction of experimental diabetes. Thus, hypertrophy of the kidneys in experimental diabetes mellitus is associated with increases in protein synthesis, rather than with decreases in protein degradation. Factor(s) other than the lack of insulin, or the effects of IGFI, must be responsible for the high rate of protein synthesis present in the hypertrophying tubules of diabetic rats.