Diabetes mellitus have a role as a risk factor affecting hemorheologic parameters in vascular diseases. Erythrocyte and leucocyte deformability are the main factors providing the blood flow in circulation. Leucocyte fluid is very important for microcirculation, and so for immune reactions of the circulation. It was informed that functional changes in polymorphonuclear leucocytes and subgroups of lymphocyte in especially immune defense mechanism were harmed in diabetic patients. For that reason, the investigation of diabetic effects on changing of peripheral protein structures' in lymphocyte membrane and changes in type II diabetic dogs were aimed in this study.

Totally 22 dogs which of 10 were diabetic and their ages varied between 1.0 and 13 years old brought to Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University were used. Haematologic parameters, blood glucose, fibrinogen, whole blood and plasma viscosity and lymphocyte deformability were analysed. Alterations in peripheral lymphocyte membrane protein content were investigated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). When compared to controls, it was found that lymphocyte deformability was significantly decreased in diabetic dogs (p<0.001). However, it was observed that fibrinogen, whole blood and plasma viscosity were significantly higher in these dogs. SDS-PAGE revealed that the protein band corresponding 37kDa had disappeared in dogs with DM. These findings were showed that diabetes mellitus was caused some complications via impairing the micro- and macrocirculations in the blood. So, hemorheologic parameters have an important role in developing vascular complications in diabetic patients.