Effect of biosynthetic insulin on lipid peroxidation in erythrocyte membranes in patients with type I diabetes mellitus

: The aim of our research was elucidation of a relationship between red cell membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) and antioxidant defense enzymes, on the one hand, and the age, disease duration, and presence of vascular complications in patients with type I diabetes mellitus, on the other. The possibility of correcting red cell peroxide status with human insulin preparations was investigated. Red cell membrane LPO was found increased more than twofold and antioxidant defense enzymes activities virtually unchanged vs. controls in 16 patients with diabetes aged 20 to 43. These characteristics of red cell peroxidation status do not depend on patients' age, disease standing, or presence of vascular complications. A twelve-week therapy with biosynthetic insulin resulted in complete normalization of LPO processes in patients with angiopathies aged under 35 and with disease standing of less than 10 years. In diabetics with angiopathies aged over 35 and disease standing of more than 10 years red cell MDA level reduced under the effect of therapy with human insulin preparations but was still increased vs. that in healthy donors by 1.5 times. Red cell GP and SOD activities reduced in the course of insulin therapy in all the examined groups of diabetics. Catalase activity increased by approximately 50% in patients with angiopathies, those aged over 35, and a disease standing of more than 10 years under the effect of insulin. In the rest groups of patients catalase activity did not differ from its initial level. Our results permit us recommending besides human insulin preparations antioxidant therapy for patients with vascular complications, those aged over 35, and a disease standing of more than 10 years.