Studies on the new clinical marker of diabetes mellitus (5). Seasonal variation of insulin specific binding to erythrocyte insulin receptor

: Specific binding of insulin to receptors of healthy human erythrocytes was slightly increased in December (6.9 +/- 1.7%) compared with that in May (5.1 +/- 1.4%). Random screening of insulin specific binding to erythrocyte insulin receptors of various patients (including not only diabetes mellitus but also other diseases) suggested that insulin specific binding is slightly higher in winter than in summer. Insulin specific bindings of healthy subjects in Sapporo (January, -6.1 degrees C), Saitama (5.1 degrees C) and Okinawa (16.0 degrees C) were 9.1 +/- 1.6%, 6.9 +/- 1.7%, 6.2 +/- 1.7%, respectively. A week negative correlation was observed between atmospheric temperature and insulin specific binding. These results suggest that insulin specific binding to the erythrocyte insulin receptor is affected by not only the pathological situation of the patient, but also season and atmospheric temperature.