The Uptake Of Dehydroascorbate In The Polymorphonuclear Leucocytes Of The Diabetic Vs Non-Diabetic Individual

Abstract

The uptake of dehydroascorbate (DHA) was studied in both diabetic and non-diabetic polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN). The mean uptake of DHA was found to be lower in the diabetic than non-diabetic group. The uptake of DHA was also lower when PMN were incubated in a final concentration of 3 mg/ml glucose instead of 1 mg/ml glucose. There appears to be an inverse relationship between glucose concentration and DHA uptake in PMN; that is, when glucose levels are increased, DHA uptake is decreased. This may cause the accumulation of DHA in diabetic plasma and contribute to the complications of diabetes.