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Biomedical subjects

R Luft

Publications and source records attributed to R Luft.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Inhibition of vagally induced gastrin release by somatostatin in cats.

The effect of somatostatin was tested on gastrin release induced by electrical vagal stimulation in anaesthetized cats. The antral release of gastrin was determined in the gastric venous outflow by simultaneous recording of gastrin concentration and blood flow. Repeated vagal stimulation at the same frequency and duration caused release of similar amounts of gastrin within the same cat. Infusion of somatostatin, at a rate of 0.5 microng/kg/min, reduced the vagally induced gastrin release to about 40%. Similarly, basal gastrin output was depressed to about 40% of the control values.

Animals↗

Influence of somatostatin on splanchnic glucose metabolism in postabsorptive and 60-hour fasted humans.

Cyclic somatostatin was administered intravenously (10 mug/min for 60 min) to 10 healthy overnight fasted (postabsorptive) subjects and to 5 healthy 60-h fasted subjects. In both groups, arterial insulin and glucagon fell 50% and splanchnic release of these hormones was inhibited. In the overnight fasted subjects splanchnic glucose output fell 70%, splanchnic uptake of lactate and pyruvate was unchanged, alanine uptake fell by 25%, and glycerol uptake rose more than twofold in parallel with an increase in arterial glycerol. In the 60-h fasted group splanchnic glucose output was less than 40% of that observed in the overnight fasted subjects. Somatostatin led to a further decrease (--70%) in glucose production. Splanchnic uptake of lactate and pyruvate fell by 30-40%, amino acid uptake was unchanged, while uptake of glycerol rose fivefold. Total uptake of glucose precursors thus exceeded the simultaneous glucose output by more than 200%. Splanchnic uptake of FFA rose fourfold during somatostatin while output of beta-hydroxybutyrate increased by 75%. Estimated hepatic blood flow fell 25-35% and returned to base line as soon as the somatostatin infusion ended. It is concluded that (a) somatostatin-induced hypoglucagonemia results in inhibition of splanchnic glucose output in glycogen-depleted, 60-h fasted subjects as well as in postabsorptive subjects, indicating an effect of glucagon on hepatic gluconeogenesis as well as glycogenolysis; (b) the glucagonsensitive step(s) in gluconeogenesis affected by somatostatin involves primarily intra-hepatic disposal rather than net hepatic uptake of glucose precursors; (c) splanchnic uptake of fatty acids and ketone output are increased in the face of combined insulin and glucagon deficiency; and (d) diminished splanchnic blood flow may contribute to some of the effects of somatostatin on splanchnic metabolism.

Adult↗

Studies on the mechanisms of somatostatin action on insulin release. IV. effect of somatostatin on cyclic AMP levels and phosphodiesterase activity in isolated rat pancreatic islets.

The effects of somatostatin on insulin release and cyclic AMP metabolism were studied in collagenase-isolated islets of Langerhans from the rat. Ceoncentrations from 500 to 2000 ng/ml significantly inhibited glucose stimulated insulin release, while 100 and 200 ng/ml were ineffective. Somatostatin (2000 ng/ml) inhibited insulin release and [3H]-cyclic AMP accumulation induced by 16.7 mM glucose after 10 and 30 min of incubation. In dose-response studies, the inhibition by somatostatin of the effect of glucose on [3H]cyclic AMP and insulin release could be overcome by a high concentration of the hexose (44.9 mM), suggesting competitive inhibition. In the absence of glucose, somatostatin inhibited [3H]cyclic AMP accumulation induced by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, IBMX, while no inhibition was seen, again in the absence of hexose, when the [3H]cyclic AMP levels had been raised by the adenyl cyclase stimulator, cholera toxin. Somatostatin did not affect phosphodiesterase activity when added to islet homogenates, but preincubation of the islets with the peptide before homogenization decreased the activity by about 30%. It is suggested that somatostatin-induced inhibition of insulin release is, at least partially, mediated by cyclic AMP, probably through an action on islet adenyl cyclase.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Studies on the mechanism of somatostatin action on insulin release. V. Effect of somatostatin analogues on arginine induced release of insulin and glucagon from the perfused rat pancreas.

Eighteen analogues of somatostatin have been used in order to elucidate the structure-activity relationship of the peptide on the release of insulin and glucagon from the isolated perfused rat pancreas. Neither the amino terminal nor a free carboxyl terminal seemed to be essential for the activity of the cyclic peptide. Addition of amino acids to the amino terminal did not decrease the activity. On the other hand, minor changes in the structure of linear somatostatin, which lead to the loss of ability to form a cyclic peptide, impaired the activity. Deletion of Asn5 was accompanied by decreased action on glucagon but not on insulin release. It seems that the major actions of somatostatin on the pancreas are bound to the amino acid sequence 4-13 in the molecule and to the ability of the molecule to cyclize.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Significance of genetic factors for the plasma insulin response to glucose in healthy subjects.

The intravenous glucose tolerance and plasma insulin response to glucose infusion were analysed in a twin and family material, comprising 279 healthy subjects. The relation between the blood glucose and plasma insulin values was studied by an analysis of the principal eigenvalues. The variables obtained were corrected for sex, age and weight, and standardized with regard to mean and variance. The results showed that at least four of the variables have appreciable familial correlations, corresponding to a heritability (h2) varying between 0.38 and 0.72. These correlations could not be accounted for by common environment alone. Thus, the beta cell function in normal man, as measured by a glucose challenge test, appears to be genetically regulated.

Adolescent↗

Effect of somatostatin on basal and glucose induced insulin release in five patients with hyperinsulinaemia.

Somatostatin in a dose of 490 mug over 90 min inhibited basal insulin release in one subject with hyperplasia of the pancreatic islets and in two with benign insulin secreting adenomas. These three subjects also showed a marked insulin response to glucose infusion. No inhibitory effect of somatostatin was observed in two patients with benign insulinomas who demonstrated only a minor response to glucose. In the patient with islet hyperplasia and in one of the adenoma patients, who had an exaggerated insulin response to glucose (maximal response 10-30 times the basal insulin value), somatostatin also suppressed glucose induced insulin release. Our data suggest a beneficial therapeutic effect of somatostatin in patients with spontaneous hyperinsulinism with a pronounced insulin response to glucose.

Adenoma↗

Studies on the mechanism of somatostatin action on insulin release in man. II. Comparison of the effects of somatostatin on insulin release induced by glucose, glucagon and tolbutamide.

Somatostatin in as small a dose as 70 mug given over a period of 90 min to seven healthy subjects inhibited insulin release induced by glucose (500 mg/kg as a bolus + 20 mg/kg/min). This inhibition seemed to be of competitive nature since the effect was nearly overcome when the glucose dose was raised considerably. Somatostatin in nine subjects also inhibited insulin release induced by glucagon and tolbutamide, and this inhibition was of the same order of magnitude as that of glucose induced insulin release. Since all these insulinogogues enhance of the accumulation of cyclic AMP in the beta-cells, it is suggested that the edenylate cyclase-cylic AMP system might be involved in the action of somatostatin. Somatostatin did not seem to interfere with the glycogenolytic effect of glucagon on the liver.

Adult↗

Potentiation of glucose-induced insulin release by glucose in the isolated pancreas of fed and fasted rats.

Glucose, apart from its acute insulin-releasing effect, exerts a time-dependent potentiating action on subsequent stimulations of the pancreas. The influence of a 24-hour starvation on these two actions of glucose was studied with the completely isolated, perfused rat pancreas preparation. Starvation had no effect on the time kinetics of the insulin response, but the magnitudes of the early and late insulin-secretion phases were reduced to similar extents. It was demonstrated by using a wide glucose concentration range that the maximal insulin response is not significantly modified by starvation. In contrast, both the threshold of stimulation by and the Km for glucose were higher in the pancrease from fasted rats. Thus, starvation reduces the sensitivity of the islet for the insulin-releasing action of glucose. When the stimulatory concentrations of glucose were preceded for 40 minutes by the perfusion of 8.3 mM instead of the basal, 4.4 mM glucose, insulin secretion from the pancreas of fed animals was not modified. In contrast, raising the glucose concentration of the equilibrium period to 8.3 mM potentiated markedly the insulin response to subsequent stimulations in the pancreas from fasted rats. This potentiation expressed itself as increase in the maximal response: the Km for glucose was not reduced. Thus a 40-minute pretreatment with 8.3 mM glucose does not correct the diminished sensitivity induced by a 24-hour starvation. It is concluded that in starvation (1) the sensitivity for glucose of the mechanisms that initiate insulin release is diminished; (2) the sensitivity of the pancreas for the potentiation-inducing action of glucose is augumented. (3) In both respects, the insulin response of fasted rats is similar to that of mildly diabetic subjects. These and other findings suggest that the effect of glucose in initiation of insulin release and on generation of a state of potentiation in the islet are mediated by different mechanisms.

Animals↗