Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), identified as irreversible products of a complex reaction of carbonyl groups of reducing sugars with free protein amino groups, are characterized by resistance to proteolytic degradation. The incomplete digestion of AGEs results in low molecular weight AGEs accumulating in the blood of diabetic and uremic patients. We hypothesized that the accumulation of these compounds may contribute to the dysfunction and/or degeneration of tubular epithelial cells. Our study examined whether low-molecular-weight AGE peptides and high-molecuiar-weight AGE proteins affect the functional cellular properties of two tubular epithelial cell lines. immortalized human kidney tubular epithelial (IHKE) and immortalized rat renal proximal tubular cells (IRPTCs). Parameters of cellular damage and growth behavior were cell counting, analysis of the cellular metabolic activity (MTT assay), as well as cellular proliferation ((3)[H]-thymidine-incorporation). IHKE treated with bovine serum albumin-AGE (BSA-ACE 50) or BSA-AGE-Pep 50 revealed a decrease in cellular metabolic activity as compared with controls alter 48 hours of incubation (73 +/- 9% for BSA-AGE 50 and 62 +/- 11% for BSA-AGE-Pcp 50 vs. 89 +/- 8% for BSA Co 50). Low molecular weight BSA-AGE-Pop 50 induced a significantly greater cellular damage in IRPTCs as compared with high molecular weight BSA-AGE 50 after 144 hours of incubation (59 +/- 15% for BSA-AGE 50 vs. 31 +/- 13% for BSA-AGE-Pep 50). The decrease in metabolic activity correlated well with a decrease in cellular proliferation. The results suggest a higher toxic potential of low molecular weight AGE peptides compared with high molecular weight AGE proteins in IRPTC and IHKE. This may provide evidence that low molecular weight degradation products of AGE-modified proteins have an important risk potential.