Diabetes-related renal growth and IGF-I accumulation in castrated rats.

Abstract

The effects of castration on diabetes-related renal growth and IGF-I regulation were studied. In the rat, prepubertal castration is associated with a normal or increased surge in plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) at the time of 'puberty'. In order to determine the role of sex steroids in the development of diabetes-related kidney growth and IGF-I regulation, Sprague-Dawley rats were castrated at the age of 4 weeks and streptozotocin diabetes was induced at the age of 13 weeks. The development of renal enlargement and kidney IGF-I levels was studied over the following 7 days. Kidney weight in diabetic animals was significantly greater than in controls, and by day 7, had increased by..