Binding of an aldose reductase inhibitor to renal glomeruli.

The aldose reductase inhibitor Sorbinil affects several membrane-associated complexes including Na/K-ATPase activity, transport processes, and impulse propagation. These considerations, coupled with the drug's aromatic nature, suggested the possibility of direct interaction with cell membranes. In the present study, binding of [3H]-Sorbinil to isolated glomeruli was demonstrated. Binding is dose-dependent and saturable, and can be inhibited by increasing concentrations of unlabeled Sorbinil. These results may help explain the compound's diverse effects on membrane-associated processes.