Counterregulatory Hormone Responses During Graded Hyperinsulinemic Euglycemia in Conscious Rats

It has been suggested that hyperinsulinemia per se may affect the levels of some counterregulatory hormones in the absence of hypoglycemia. We studied the effect of graded hyperinsulinemia and concomitant increased glucose metabolism on the levels of counterregulatory hormones by means of the 5-step sequential hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique, combined with [3-3H]-glucose infusion, in conscious rats. Insulin infusion rates (IIR) of 0, 0.5, 1, 3, and 16 mU/min, resulted in steady-state plasma insulin levels (mean ± SEM) of 24 ± 4, 44 ± 3, 98 ± 8, 418 ± 48, and 6626 ± 361 µU/ml, peripheral glucose uptake (PGU) of 3.1 ± 0.2, 3.6 ± 0.3, 5.4 ± 0.3, 9.2 ± 0.4, and 12.4 ± 0.2 mg/min and hepatic glucose production (HGP) of 3.1 ± 0.2, 2.4 ± 0.4, 0.8 ± 0.3, -0.1 ± 0.2, and -0.5 ± 0.3 mg/min, respectively. Plasma glucagon levels were half maximally suppressed between IIRs of 0.5 and 1 mU/min and maximally suppressed at 3 mU/min. The suppression exactly paralleled the inhibition of HGP (r = 0.87 ± 0.04, p < 0.02) but not the stimulation of PGU (r = -0.66 ± 0.12, p = NS). This suggests that the inhibition of HGP by insulin is at least partially mediated by a simultaneous suppression of plasma glucagon levels. The adrenal hormones corticosterone and epinephrine were not influenced during the clamp. Moreover, the circadian rhythm of corticosterone seemed unaffected. Plasma norepinephrine levels were increased (±50%, p < 0.05) at IIRs of 1 mU/min and higher, suggesting an insulin-induced stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system when peripheral plasma insulin levels exceed 98 ± 8 µU/ml. In conclusion, measurement of in vivo insulin action by means of the euglycemic clamp induces dose-dependent changes in the levels ofglucagon and norepinephrine but not in epinephrine and corticosterone. This has to be taken into account because it is, in fact, the interaction between insulin and these counterregulatory hormones that determines the ultimate action of insulin on glucose metabolism in vivo.

Fluoxetine increases insulin action in obese type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients

Insulin resistance contributes to the metabolic defects in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Anorectic agents have been shown to improve insulin action in NIDDM, irrespective of weight reduction. In a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study, we examined hepatic and peripheral insulin action by the sequential hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp technique with infusion of 3-[3H]-glucose in eight obese NIDDM patients and in eight obese non-diabetics, matched for age, sex and body mass index. Body weight was kept constant. After 14 days of fluoxetine, 60 mg daily, in NIDDM half-maximal peripheral glucose uptake was achieved at a lower insulin level than after placebo (ED50pgu: 180.5 +/- 25.8 vs. 225.3 +/- 39.9 mU/l, P < 0.05), but not in non-diabetics (140 +/- 15.3 vs. 135.3 +/- 22.2 mU/l, n.s.). Maximal peripheral glucose uptake (Vmaxpgu) did not change significantly. Multivariate analysis disclosed no differences in the effect of fluoxetine between NIDDM and non-diabetics. When non-diabetics and NIDDM were considered together, only the most insulin-resistant individuals demonstrated a decrease in ED50pgu (P < 0.001). Likewise, only the individuals with the most outspoken hepatic insulin resistance demonstrated a decrease in insulin level, at which hepatic glucose production (HGP) is completely suppressed (HGP0) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, fluoxetine improves peripheral and hepatic insulin action in obese insulin-resistant subjects irrespective of its weight lowering effec

Steroids in adult men with type 1 diabetes: A tendency to hypogonadism

OBJECTIVE - To compare steroids and their associations in men with type 1 diabetes and healthy control subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - We studied 52 adult men with type 1 diabetes without microvascular complications, compared with 53 control subjects matched for age and BMI. Steroids and their binding globulins were assessed in a single venous blood sample and a 24-h urine sample. RESULTS - In adult men with type 1 diabetes, total testosterone did not differ from healthy control subjects, but sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) (42 [14-83] vs. 26 [9-117] nmol/l, P < 0.001), cortisol-binding globulin (CBG; 0.87 ± 0.17 vs. 0.73 ± 0.10 nmol/l, P < 0.001), and cortisol levels (0.46 ± 0.16 vs. 0.39 ± 0.14 nmol/l, P < 0.01) were higher. The free testosterone index was lower (60 [17-139] vs. 82 [24-200], P < 0.001), and the calculated free testosterone was slightly lower (497 [115] vs. 542 [130], P < 0.064), but the pituitary-gonadal axis was not obviously affected in type 1 diabetes. The calculated free serum cortisol was not different, and 24-h urinary free cortisol excretion was lower in type 1 diabetes (121 [42-365] vs. 161 [55-284] nmol/24 h, P < 0.009). Testosterone was mainly associated with SHBG. Estimated portal insulin was a contributer to SHBG in control subjects but not in type 1 diabetes. Cortisol was associated with CBG. HbA1c contributed to CBG in men with diabetes but not in control subjects, whereas estimated portal insulin did not contribute. CONCLUSIONS - Adult men with fairly controlled type 1 diabetes without complications who are treated with subcutaneous insulin have a tendency to hypogonadism, as reflected by lower free testosterone levels in the presence of similar total testosterone levels and higher SHBG levels

Increase in daily LH secretion in response to short-term calorie restriction in obese women with PCOS

We hypothesized that short-term calorie restriction would blunt luteinizing hormone (LH) hypersecretion in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and thereby ameliorate the anovulatory endocrine milieu. To test this hypothesis, 15 obese patients with PCOS and nine age- and body mass index-matched healthy women underwent 24-h blood sampling to quantitate plasma LH, leptin, and insulin levels. PCOS subjects were prescribed a very low caloric liquid diet (4.2 MJ/day) for 7 days and were then resampled. Basal and pulsatile LH secretion was threefold higher in PCOS subjects, but plasma insulin and leptin levels were not different in the calorie-replete state. Contrary to expectation, calorie restriction enhanced basal and pulsatile LH secretion even further. As expected, plasma glucose, insulin, and leptin concentrations decreased by 18, 75, and 50%, respectively. Serum total testosterone concentration fell by 23%, whereas serum estrone, estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and androstenedione concentrations remained unchanged. Enhanced LH secretion in the presence of normal metabolic and hormonal adaptations to calorie restriction points to anomalous feedback control of pituitary LH release in PCOS

Retention of estradiol negative feedback relationship to LH predicts ovulation in response to caloric restriction and weight loss in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

The present study tests the hypothesis that specific endocrine, metabolic, and anthropometric features distinguish obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who resume ovulation in response to calorie restriction and weight loss from those who do not. Fifteen obese (body mass index 39 ± 7 kg/m2) hyperandrogenemic oligoovulatory patients undertook a very low calorie diet (VLCD), wherein each lost ≥10% of body weight over a mean of 6.25 mo. Body fat distribution was quantitated by magnetic resonance imaging. Hormones were measured in the morning at baseline, after 1 wk of VLCD, and after 10% weight loss. To monitor LH release, blood was sampled for 24 h at 10-min intervals before intervention and after 7 days of VLCD. Responders were defined a priori as individuals exhibiting two or more ovulatory cycles in the course of intervention, as corroborated by serum progesterone concentrations ≥18 nmol/l followed by vaginal bleeding. At baseline, responders had a higher sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentration but were otherwise indistinguishable from nonresponders. Body weight, the size of body fat depots, and plasma insulin levels declined to a similar extent in responders and nonresponders. Also, SHBG increased, and the free testosterone index decreased comparably. However, responders exhibited a significant decline of circulating estradiol concentrations (from 191 ± 82 to 158 ± 77 pmol/l, means ± SD, P = 0.037) and a concurrent increase in LH secretion (from 104 ± 42 to 140 ± 5 U·1-1·day-1, P = 0.006) in response to 7 days of VLCD, whereas neither parameter changed significantly in nonresponders. We infer that evidence of retention of estradiol-dependent negative feedback on LH secretion may forecast follicle maturation and ovulation in obese patients with PCOS under dietary restriction