Interaction of aggregates of reduced insulin with gamma globulin and complement: a pathogenetic hypothesis.

Abstract

SummaryThese experiments show that reduced insulin aggregates react with the complement system and with gamma globulin. Complement fixation may be a direct interaction between the aggregates and one or more of the complement components, but more likely it is mediated by adsorbed gamma globulin. The aggregates are soluble in 50% acetic acid, insoluble in neutral solution, and can fix complement whether or not they have titratable sulfhydryl groups. They contain both A and B chains. The relationship between complement fixing capacity of the aggregates and their physical and chemical state is under investigation, as are the in vivo effects of these aggregates. These in vitro results support the proposed hypothesis that the renal and vascular lesions observed in diabetes are produced by a mechanism involving insulin derivatives, gamma globulin, and complement components and serve as a convenient model for further study.