Extracellular matrix in human diabetic nephropathy : reduced expression of heparan sulphate in skin basement membrane

In diabetic nephropathy, expression of glycosaminoglycan side chains of heparan sulphate proteoglycan in the glomerular basement membrane is reduced proportionally to the degree of proteinuria. We performed a cross-sectional study to evaluate whether non-vascular basement membranes also show a decrease in heparan sulphate side chain staining in patients with diabetic nephropathy. We evaluated the skin basement membrane for extracellular matrix components in the following groups: control subjects (n = 16); patients with Type 1 diabetes and normoalbuminuria (n = 17), microalbuminuria (n = 7), and macroalbuminuria (n = 16); patients with Type 1 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy undergoing renal replacement therapy (n = 13); and non-diabetic patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (n = 21). The following antibodies were used for this immunohistochemical study: monoclonal antibodies against the heparan sulphate side chain (JM403) and core protein (JM72) of the glomerular heparan sulphate proteoglycan; polyclonal antibodies against the core protein (B31); polyclonal antibodies against collagen types I, III, and IV, fibronectin, and laminin; and monoclonal antibodies against the noncollagenous domain of alpha1(collagen IV) and alpha3(collagen IV), against transforming growth factor beta(2G7), and against advanced glycosylation end products (4G9). Expression of heparan sulphate side chains was reduced in the skin basement membrane of patients with overt diabetic nephropathy, of those with Type 1 diabetes undergoing renal replacement therapy, and those with non-diabetic renal failure. Increased intensity of staining was found for collagen type I and advanced glycosylation end products in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Changes in the extracellular matrix of the skin basement membrane seem to be similar to those in the glomerular basement membrane. These findings support the suggestion that patients with diabetic nephropathy also have altered heparan sulphate and collagen staining in extrarenal basement membranes. However, patients with non-diabetic renal failure also had reduced expression of heparan sulphate in the skin basement membrane, suggesting that this finding is not specific for diabetic nephropathy.