Abstract
Intracellular accumulation of sorbitol is knoujn to be associated with many complications of diabetes mellitus. It is not known if increased levels of this polyol are involved in the teratogenic effects of diabetic pregnancy or whether embryos of diabetic mothers have the capacity to generate and accumulate sorbitol during organogenesis.
Sorbitol content was determined, by bioluminiscence assay, in offspring of normal (N) and manifest diabetic (MD; serum glucose exceeding 20 mmol/1) rats during gestational days 11-15, This animal model of (streptozotocin-induced) diabetic pregnancy exhibits a 15-20 % rate of fetal malformations (Biochem. Soc. Trans. 13:79, 1985}. Furthermore, the embryos of MD rat mothers of this model show a growth retardation in early pregnancy, similar to that reported in other rat strains (Diabetes 33:281, 1984).
The sorbitol accumulation in the MO embryos was increased compared to the N embryos at all times studied (gestational days 11-15). Moreouer, sorbitol levels appeared to be further increased (not statistically significant) in the malformed compared to the non-malformed embryos from the MD rats.
This study demonstrates that offspring of diabetic mothers may accumulate high levels of sorbitol during organogenesis, indicative of a functioning aldose reductase system. This animal model may therefore serve as a useful tool to further investigate the possible relationship between disturbed metabolism of polyols and teratogenesis in diabetic pregnancy.
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Eriksson, U., Naeser, P., Brolin, S. et al. 1209 INCREASED ACCUMULATION OF SORBITOL IN EMBRYOS OF MANIFEST DIABETIC RATS. Pediatr Res 19, 312 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01239
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01239