Low contents of nerve growth factor in serum and submaxillary gland of diabetic mice. A possible etiological element of diabetic neuropathy.

Insulin and nerve growth factor are peptides that share several chemical and functional properties. While the total or relative deficiency of insulin causes diabetes, the possible disorders due to deficiency of nerve growth factor have not been clearly defined. However, the intense biological actions of nerve growth factor in the maintenance and growth of several neural cells make feasible its participation in the physiopathology of some diseases of the peripheral nervous system. We measured the contents of nerve growth factor in serum, submaxillary gland and sciatic nerve of mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Nerve growth factor in diabetic mice was diminished in serum and submaxillary gland when compared with matched controls (P < 0.01). This finding further supports a similar observation in diabetic patients and suggests a possible etiological involvement of neural growth factor in the development of diabetic neuropathy.