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Role of glucagon, catecholamines, and growth hormone in human glucose counterregulation. Effects of somatostatin and combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade on plasma glucose recovery and glucose flux rates after insulin-induced hypoglycemia.

To further characterize mechanisms of glucose counterregulation in man, the effects of pharmacologically inducd deficiencies of glucagon, growth hormone, and catecholamines (alone and in combination) on recovery of plasma glucose from insulin-induced hypoglycemia and attendant changes in isotopically ([3-(3)H]glucose) determined glucose fluxes were studied in 13 normal subjects. In control studies, recovery of plasma glucose from hypoglycemia was primarily due to a compensatory increase in glucose production; the temporal relationship of glucagon, epinephrine, cortisol, and growth hormone responses with the compensatory increase in glucose appearance was compatible with potential participation of all these hormones in acute glucose counterregulation. Infusion of somatostatin (combined deficiency of glucagon and growth hormone) accentuated insulin-induced hypoglycemia (plasma glucose nadir: 36+/-2 ng/dl during infusion of somatostatin vs. 47+/-2 mg/dl in control studies, P < 0.01) and impaired restoration of normoglycemia (plasma glucose at min 90: 73+/-3 mg/dl at end of somatostatin infusion vs. 92+/-3 mg/dl in control studies, P<0.01). This impaired recovery of plasma glucose was due to blunting of the compensatory increase in glucose appearance since glucose disappearance was not augmented, and was attributable to suppression of glucagon secretion rather than growth hormone secretion since these effects of somatostatin were not observed during simultaneous infusion of somatostatin and glucagon whereas infusion of growth hormone along with somatostatin did not prevent the effect of somatostatin. The attenuated recovery of plasma glucose from hypoglycemia observed during somatostatin-induced glucagon deficiency was associated with plasma epinephrine levels twice those observed in control studies. Infusion of phentolamine plus propranolol (combined alpha-and beta-adrenergic blockade) had no effect on plasma glucose or glucose fluxes after insulin administration. However, infusion of somatostatin along with both phentolamine and propranolol further impaired recovery of plasma glucose from hypoglycemia compared to that observed with somatostatin alone (plasma glucose at end of infusions: 52+/-6 mg/dl for somatostatin-phentolamine-propranolol vs. 72+/-5 mg/dl for somatostatin alone, P < 0.01); this was due to further suppression of the compensatory increase in glucose appearance (maximal values: 1.93+/-0.41 mg/kg per min for somatostatin-phentolamine-propranolol vs. 2.86+/-0.32 mg/kg per min for somatostatin alone, P < 0.05). These results indicate that in man (a) restoration of normoglycemia after insulin-induced hypoglycemia is primarily due to a compensatory increase in glucose production; (b) intact glucagon secretion, but not growth hormone secretion, is necessary for normal glucose counterregulation, and (c) adrenergic mechanisms do not normally play an essential role in this process but become critical to recovery from hypoglycemia when glucagon secretion is impaired.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists

Metabolism of glucose in hyper- and hypo-thyroid rats in vivo. Glucose-turnover values and futile-cycle activities obtained with 14C- and 3H-labelled glucose.

1. A trace amount of glucose labelled with 14C uniformly and with 3H at position 2, 3 or 6 was injected intravenously into starved rats to measure the turnover rate of blood glucose. 2. Reliable estimates were made based on the semilogarithmic plot of specific radioactivity of the glucose contained in whole blood samples taken from the tail vein. 3. Glucose turned over more rapidly in hyperthyroid and more slowly in hypothyroid than in euthyroid rats. The percentage contribution of glucose recycling (determined from the difference in replacement rates between [U-14C]glucose and [6-3H]glucose) to the glucose utilization increased on induction of hyperthyroidism. 4. Futile cycles between glucose and glucose 6-phosphate (determined from the difference between replacement rates of [2-3H]glucose and [6-3H]glucose) were activated and inactivated by induction of hyperthyroid and hypothyroid states respectively. 5. The hepatic content of glycogen was much lower in hyper- and hypo-thyroid than in euthyroid rats. The enhanced glucose production in hyperthyroid rats resulted from not only activationof hepatic gluconeogenesis but also diversion of the final product of gluconeogenesis from liver glycogen to blood glucose. In hypothyroidism, the inhibition of gluconeogensis led to suppression of both glucose production and glycogenesis in the liver.

Animals

Glucose requirements following burn injury. Parameters of optimal glucose infusion and possible hepatic and respiratory abnormalities following excessive glucose intake.

Glucose and leucine metabolism in 18 severely burned patients were studied using the primed constant infusion of U-13C-glucose and 1-13C-leucine, respectively. The leucine data were used to calculate rates of whole-body protein synthesis. In four additional burn patients and seven normal controls, the effects of exogenously infused insulin on the metabolism of infused glucose were evaluated. Also, the effect on leucine metabolism of adding insulin to infused glucose was tested and rates of protein synthesis were calculated. The protein studies were divided into two groups depending on the rate of glucose infusion. Protein synthesis was 4.3 + 0.54 g protein/kg/day during the lower infusion rates (1.4--4.5 mg/kg/min) and 5.17 + 0.19 g protein/kg/day during the higher infusion rates (4.7--9.3 mg/kg/min) (statistically different, p less than 0.05). However, when the high infusion rate group was divided into two subgroups (high, 4.7--6.8 mg/kg/min, and very high, 7.03--9.31 mg/kg/min), there was no difference in the rate of protein synthesis. When U-13C-glucose was infused during varying rates of unlabeled glucose infusion, we found that the per cent of CO2 coming from the direct oxidation of glucose rose rapidly at the lower infusion rates but reached a plateau at approximately 55% as the infusion rates exceeded 5 mg/kg/min. Addition of insulin did not affect the rate of glucose oxidation but did seem to exert a stimulatory effect on protein synthesis. It was concluded that there appears to be a maximal rate of glucose infusion, beyond which physiologically significant increases in protein synthesis and direct oxidation of glucose cannot be expected. Furthermore, there appears to be a physiological cost of exceeding the optimal glucose infusion rate, as indicated by increased rates of CO2 production during infusion as well as large fat deposits in the liver at autopsy in patients infused with large amounts of glucose.

Adolescent

The effect of urinary glucose excretion on the plasma glucose clearances and plasma insulin responses to intravenous glucose loads in unanaesthesized dogs.

The effect of urinary glucose excretion on the plasma glucose clearance and insulin response to varying sizes of glucose loads was studied in normal unanaesthesized dogs. Glucose loads ranging from 0.15 to 1.25 g/kg b.w. were infused intravenously in a standard time period of 30 seconds. Plasma glucose and plasma immunoreactive insulin (IRI) concentrations were determined during one-hour after infusion. All urine excreted during the one-hour was collected by a catheterization and bladder wash-out procedure. The urinary glucose excretion was expressed as the percent of the glucose load. The urinary glucose excretion varied directly with the size of the glucose load and ranged from minimal to 12%. This would indicate that urinary losses play a considerable role proportionate to the degree of hyperglycaemia above the renal threshold. Thus, urinary loss of glucose must be recognized as an important factor infuencing the plasma glucose clearance and hence the plasma IRI response. A glucose load of 0.5 g/kg b.w. given in 30 seconds with the k-value calculated between 15-45 min would minimize the influence of urinary loss and provide more accurate plasma clearance values.

Animals

Effects of insulin on glucose metabolism and glucose transport in fat cells of hormone-treated hypophysectomized rats: evidence that growth hormone restricts glucose transport.

In earlier studies we have shown that insulin does not stimulate glucose incorporation in adipocytes of hypophysectomized (hypox) rats. Basal glucose incorporation is decreased, although basal 3-O-methylglycose transport is very rapid and cannot be further stimulated by insulin. In this study we treated hypox rats with human GH, ACTH, and T3, alone or in combination, and examined the effects of insulin on glucose incorporation into fat cells and on 3-O-methylglucose transport. The results show that chronic administration of T3 alone to hypox rats partially restores glucose incorporation into fat cells and, in combination with ACTH, completely restores this incorporation. The two hormones have no effect on the glucose carrier system. The transport rate under T3 and ACTH replacement therapy continues to proceed at a maximal rate, so that basal glucose incorporation is high but not further enhanced by insulin. In contrast, administration of human GH to hypox rats does not influence glucose incorporation but has a marked effect on glucose transport. The basal glucose transport rate returns toward normal and again responds to insulin. This suggests 1) that enzyme activities responsible for the lipogenetic capacity of the fat cell are decreased in hypox rats and returned toward normal by the combined T3/ACTH treatment, and 2) that the limitation of glucose transport in the fat cell is controlled by GH. GH seems to induce a change of the glucose-carrier system; it leads to a restriction of glucose transport, which is acutely modulated by insulin.

Adipose Tissue

Stimulation by polyamines of carbamylphosphate:glucose phosphotransferase and glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase activities of multifunctional glucose-6-phosphatase.

The effects of added polyamines on carbamylphosphate (carbamyl-P):glucose phosphotransferase and glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) phosphohydrolase activities of rat hepatic D-Glc-6-P phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.9) of intact and detergent-treated microsomes have been investigated. With the former preparation, in the presence of 1.4 mM phosphate substrate and 90 mM D-glucose (phosphotransferase), 1 mM spermine, spermidine, and putrescine activated Glc-6-P phosphohydrolase 67%, 57%, and 35%, respectively. Carbamyl-P:glucose phosphotransferase, under comparable conditions, was activated 57%, 34%, and 18%. NH+4 (0.25--5.0 mM) produced at best but a minor activation (0--14%), while poly(L-lysine) (Mr = 3400; degree of polymerization 16) equimolar relative to other polyamines with respect to ionized free amino groups activated the hydrolase 358% and the transferase 222%. Treatment of microsomes with the detergent deoxycholate reduced, but did not abolish, polyamine-induced activation. The stimulatory effects of polyamines persisted in the presence of excess catalase, indicating their independence from H2O2 formation; and were eliminated in the presence of Ca2+. Kinetic analysis revealed that all tested polyamines decreased the apparent Michaelis constant values for carbamyl-P and Glc-6-P, but had no effect on the Km for glucose. Poly(L-lysine) increased the V value for both Glc-6-P phosphohydrolase and apparent V values for phosphotransferase extrapolated to infinite concentrations of either carbamyl-P or glucose. The other tested polyamines elevated only this last velocity parameter. It is proposed that a major mechanism by which polyamines activate glucose-6-phosphatase-phosphotransferase is through their electrostatic interactions with phospholipids of the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum of which this enzyme is a part. Conformational alterations thus induced may in turn affect catalytic behavior. It is suggested that polyamines, or similar positively charged peptides, might participate in the cellular regulation of synthetic and hydrolytic activities of glucose-6-phosphatase.

Ammonium Chloride

The role of glucose limitation in the regulation of the transport of glucose, gluconate and 2-oxogluconate, and of glucose metabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The pathway of glucose metabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was regulated by the availability of glucose and related compounds. On changing from an ammonium limitation to a glucose limitation, the organism responded by adjusting its metabolism substantially from the extracellular direct oxidative pathway to the intracellular phosphorylative route. This change was achieved by repression of the transport systems for gluconate and 2-oxogluconate and of the associated enzymes for 2-oxogluconate metabolism and gluconate kinase, while increasing the levels of glucose transport, hexokinase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. The role of gluconate, produced by the action of glucose dehydrogenase, as a major inhibitory factor for glucose transport, and the possible significance of these regulatory mechanisms to the organism in its natural environment, are discussed.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases

Regulation of glycogen synthesis and glucose utilization in Escherichia coli during maintenance of the energy charge. Quantitative correlation of changes in the rates of glycogen synthesis and glucose utilization with simultaneous changes in the cellular levels of both glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 1,6-diphosphate.

Treatment of nitrogen-starved cultures of Escherichia coli W4597(K) with sodium azide results in simultaneous changes in both glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 1,6-diphosphate as well as in the rate of glycogen synthesis. Based on these observations, a comprehensive equation was developed which relates the cellular levels of both of these hexose phosphates with the rate of glycogen synthesis. This relationship apparently represents the interaction in vivo between the rate-limiting enzyme of bacterial glycogen synthesis, glucose 1-phosphate adenylyltransferase (adenosine diphosphoglucose synthetase, EC 2.7.7.27), and its substrate glucose 1-phosphate (reflected by glucose 6-phosphate) and its major allosteric activator fructose diphosphate. The form of the equation that describes this relationship was determined from studies presented here of the kinetic properties of the E. coli W4597(K) enzyme in the presence of physiological concentrations of its substrates and modulators. We show here and in subsequent reports of this series that the comprehensive relationship between glycogen synthesis and hexose phosphates can serve as a reference to evaluate the possible participation of new factors in the regulation of glycogen synthesis. Treatment with NaN3 did not change the cellular level of glucose 1-phosphate adenylyltransferase. The value of the adenylate energy charge, (ATP + 1/2 ADP)/(ATP + ADP + AMP), was maintained despite losses of up to 35% in cellular adenylates. The quantitative co-variance between hexose phosphates and the cellular rate of glucose utilization that we previously described for other metabolic conditions was also observed in the azide-treated cultures. We integrate the new information into the system of coordinated regulation of glycogen synthesis, glycolysis, and glucose utilization that we proposed previously.

Adenosine Diphosphate Glucose

Pancreatic hormones and plasma glucose: regulation mechanisms in the goose under physiological conditions. II. Glucose-glucagon and glucose-insulin feed-back mechanisms.

We have studied the pancreatic hormone-glucose feed-back mechanisms by infusing glucagon (G), insulin (I) and glucose into normal fasting geese. The controls received saline. Whilst a NaCl 9% infusion is devoid of effect, the pancreatic hormones, used at physiological doses, modify the plasma glucose level, glucagon being hyperglycaemic and insulin hypoglycaemic. In addition, a physiological increase in plasma glucose provokes a drop in plasma glucagon and a rise in plasma insulin, thus a marked decrease in the G/I ratio. The results show that the pancreatic hormone-glucose feed-back mechanisms are effective under physiological conditions.

Animals

Genetic evidence for the common identity of glucose-6-phosphatase, pyrophosphate-glucose phosphotransferase, carbamyl phosphate-glucose phosphotransferase and inorganic pyrophosphatase.

We demonstrate that glucose-6-phosphatase, pyrophosphate-glucose phosphotransferase, carbamyl phosphate-glucose phosphotransferase and inorganic pyrophosphatase activities are deficient in livers of patients with type I glycogen storage disease. This provides strong genetic evidence that these enzymatic activities reside in a single protein or share a common polypeptide chain.

Carbamyl Phosphate

An in vitro system for studying insulin release: effects of glucose and glucose-6-phosphate.

1. Investigation of the ionic requirements of the in vitro insulin release system, which consists of cod islet plasma membrane and rabbit islet granules incubated at pH 6.5, showed that the presence of Ca(2+) was obligatory for the system to operate.2. Glucose-initiated insulin release was as effective in the presence of beta-gamma-methylene ATP, as it was in the presence of ATP. This analogue of ATP is a substrate neither for adenylate cyclase nor for any known animal membrane proteases. The effect of ATP on glucose mediated release is allosteric.3. Glucose (16 mM)-initiated insulin release was slower than that induced by glucose-6-phosphate (4 mM); 150 and 120 sec, respectively.4. The lag found with glucose-mediated insulin release was dependent upon glucose concentration. The lower the glucose concentration, the longer the lag. With 1 mM glucose the lag extended to 30 min.5. Once insulin release was initiated, the rate and amount of insulin release was independent of the glucose concentration.6. Pre-incubation of membranes with Ca(2+), glucose and ATP prior to the addition of granules, abolished the extended lag that had been obtained with 1 mM glucose. Events in the plasma membrane are the major contributor to the generation of the extended lag.7. The glucose analogue 5'thio-D-glucose, although not able to release insulin, was shown to compete with glucose for the glucoreceptor. By increasing the ratio of analogue to glucose the lag time increased. Thus, the lag time is dependent upon the ;effective' external glucose concentration.8. The max. amount of insulin released by 4 ng of membrane in the presence of glucose (16 mM) was 300 ng. The fact that membranes became refractory to glucose after this max. amount of insulin was released showed that recycling of release sites was not taking place in vitro and that granule: granule interactions were not occurring.9. The 120 sec lag before glucose-6-phosphate-initiated release was independent of glucose-6-phosphate concentration. The rate of insulin release with glucose-6-phosphate was concentration dependent.10. Glucose-6-phosphate did not cause further insulin release from a membrane that had released the max. amount of insulin it was capable of in the presence of glucose. The addition of tolbutamide (10 mM) to such a membrane did cause insulin release. This suggests that glucose and glucose-6-phosphate share a final common pathway.11. Adrenaline and somatostatin did not inhibit glucose-mediated insulin release.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Influence of hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and the route of glucose administration on splanchnic glucose exchange.

The effects of hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and the route of glucose administration on total glucose utilization and on net splanchnic glucose exchange were studied in 20 normal volunteers with the hepatic venous catheter technique. Euglycemic hyperinsulinemia [induced by a priming plus continuous infusion of insulin resulting in plasma insulin levels of 400-1200 muunits (international)/ml and a variable glucose infusion] caused a 5- to 6-fold increase above basal in total glucose turnover. However, net splanchnic glucose uptake (0.5 +/- 0.2 mg/kg per min) accounted for only 4-5% of total glucose utilization. When hyperglycemia (223 +/- 1 mg/dl) was induced in addition to hyperinsulinemia by the intravenous infusion of glucose, splanchnic glucose uptake increased 100% to 1.0-1.1 mg/kg per min but was still responsible for only 10-14% of total glucose utilization. In other studies hyperglycemia (223 +/- 2 mg/dl) was maintained constant by a variable intravenous infusion of glucose for 4 hr and oral glucose (1.2 gm/kg) was administered at 1 hr. After the oral glucose, net splanchnic glucose uptake increased to values 6-fold higher than with intravenous glucose despite unchanged plasma glucose levels and plasma insulin concentrations well below those observed in the studies with euglycemic hyperinsulinemia. The results indicate that hyperinsulinemia or hyperglycemia induced by intravenous infusion of glucose or insulin causes minimal net uptake of glucose by the splanchnic bed despite marked stimulation of total glucose turnover. In contrast, administration of glucose by the oral route has a marked stimulatory effect on net splanchnic glucose uptake. These findings suggest that orally consumed glucose causes the release of a gastrointestinal factor that enhances insulin-mediated glucose uptake by the liver.

Administration, Oral

The effects of spontaneous obesity on insulin binding, glucose transport, and glucose oxidation of isolated rat adipocytes.

UNLABELLED: We have studied insulin, binding, glucose transport, and glucose oxidation, using large adipocytes isolated from older, fatter rats (greater than 12-mo-old, greater than 550 g), and smaller cells obtained from younger, leaner animals (4-5-wk-old, 120-160 g). At media glucose levels less than 5 mM, basal (absence of insulin) rates of glucose oxidation are comparable in both groups of cells. However, in the presence of insulin, the increase in glucose oxidation is much greater in the smaller cells. Maximally effective insulin levels could not overcome the defect in glucose oxidation by larger cells, and thus, even though studies of insulin binding demonstrated a 30-40% decrease in insulin receptors on the larger cells, it is probable that the defect in glucose oxidation is distal to the insulin receptor. Glucose transport was assessed by direct measurement of 2-deoxy glucose uptake. Basal levels of uptake were greater for the larger cells, whereas at maximally effective insulin concentrations, rates of 2-deoxy glucose uptake were the same for both groups of cells. Thus, in the presence of maximally effective levels of insulin, the apparent Km (2.3-2.7 mM) and Vmax values (2.6 and 2.7 nmol/10(5) cells per min) of 2-deoxy glucose uptake were comparable, indicating that the glucose transport system of the larger cells was intact. However, at submaximal levels of insulin, small adipocytes took up more 2-deoxy glucose than larger cells. These findings represent a rightward shift in the insulin dose-response curve in the cells from the older, fatter animals, and this is the predicted functional sequelae of the observed decrease in insulin receptors. Finally, when the amount of insulin bound was plotted as a function of 2-deoxy glucose uptake, no difference was seen between both groups of cells. This indicates that coupling between insulin receptor complexes and the glucose transport system is intact in large adipocytes, and is further evidence that a defect(s) in intracellular glucose metabolism is responsible for the decrease in glucose oxidation of adipocytes from older, fatter rats. IN CONCLUSION: (a) insulin-mediated glucose oxidation is markedly decreased in large adipocytes from older, fatter rats, and since this decrease cannot be corrected by maximally effective insulin levels, the defect is probably distal to the insulin receptor; (b) the glucose transport system is basically normal in large adipocytes; (c) insulin binding to receptors is decreased in large cells and the functional sequelae of this decrease in insulin binding i.e., a rightward shift in the insulin dose-response curve for 2-deoxy glucose uptake, was observed, and (d) since the decreased rates of insulin-mediated glucose oxidation can not be attributed to changes in insulin receptors or to changes in glucose transport, an intracellular defect in glucose metabolism is suggested.

Adipose Tissue

Renal net glucose release in vivo and its contribution to blood glucose in rats.

This study describes the contribution of de novo glucose synthesis by the kidney to blood glucose homeostasis in rats. The net glucose release by the kidney in vivo was measured by an isotope-dilution method, which calculated the extent of dilution of injected [(14)C]glucose by glucose newly synthesized in the kidney. The extent of dilution was determined from the difference between the decrease of the actual blood glucose concentration and that of the radioactivity of [(14)C]glucose, after injecting [(14)C]glucose into functionally hepatectomized rats. The results indicate that the net glucose release by the kidney in vivo in normal fed rats was 0.75+/-0.13 mg/dl per min, and that its contribution to blood glucose was 25.9+/-5.0%. When unilateral nephrectomy was performed, under the same conditions, renal net glucose release was one-half of that in rats with two intact kidneys, which indicates the quantitative accuracy of the isotope-dilution method employed in this study. In rats starved for 24 h, the renal net glucose release increased to 0.99+/-0.08 mg/dl per min. Diabetic rats showed a remarkably higher renal net glucose of 2.28+/-0.33 mg/dl per min, which was 360% of the normal level. Treatment of diabetic rats with insulin, restored the renal net glucose release to the normal level. In acidotic rats, renal net glucose release was as great as 1.03+/-0.15 mg/dl per min, which suggests that the acid-base balance participates in control of renal glucose output. Measurements every 6 h throughout the day showed that glucose was supplied from the kidney at a constant rate without any circadian rhythm. These data suggest that renal gluconeogenesis is of physiological importance in the maintenance of homeostasis of blood glucose.

Acidosis

Glucose production in pregnant women at term gestation. Sources of glucose for human fetus.

The effects of pregnancy and diabetes on systemic glucose production rates and the sources of glucose for the human fetus in utero were evaluated in five normal, four gestationally diabetic, and one insulin-dependent diabetic subject undergoing elective caesarean section at term gestation. Five normal nonpregnant women were studied for comparison. Systemic glucose production rates were measured with stable tracer [1-(13)C]glucose according to the prime-constant rate infusion technique. Even though the plasma glucose concentration during normal pregnancy had declined as compared with the nonpregnant subjects (P < 0.0005), the systemic glucose production rate was 16% greater, a rate sufficient to provide the glucose requirement of the fetus at term gestation. The decline in glucose concentration could be the result of an increase in apparent volume of distribution of glucose. Systemic glucose production rates in well-controlled, gestationally diabetic subjects were similar to those in normal pregnant subjects (2.07+/-0.53 vs. 2.42+/-0.51 mg/kg.min). The sources of glucose for the human fetus at term gestation were evaluated by comparing (a) natural variation in (13)C:(12)C ratio of plasma glucose and (b) enriched (13)C:(12)C ratio of plasma glucose during [1-(13)C]glucose infusion in maternal and fetal blood at delivery in both normal and diabetic subjects. These data showed that the fetal glucose pool was in equilibrium with the maternal glucose pool in both normal and diabetic subjects, indicating that a brief maternal fast did not initiate systemic glucose production in human fetus. A materno-fetal gradient was observed for betahydroxybutyrate.

Adolescent

Fetal and maternal blood glucose, insulin and acid base observations following maternal glucose infusion.

The aim of the present investigation was to examine the fetal and maternal blood glucose and insulin response following glucose infusion to the mother. The studies were performed on 11 primigravid patients with a gestational age of 38-40 weeks during the first stage of labor. Glucose was given intravenously by a bolus injection of 330 mg/kg body weight, followed by a glucose infusion of 27.5 mg/kg/min for 60 min. Glucose concentration, immuno-reactive insulin (IRI), pH and base excess of the maternal and fetal blood were measured before and during maternal glucose load. Maternal blood glucose rose within 10 min. up to 280.0 mg% (SD 25.9). This level could be fairly maintained throughout the experiment. The maternal glucose was after 60 min. infusion 326.5 mg% (SD 46.9). Fetal glucose concentration rose continuously from 65.8 mg% (SD 5.8) at control to 249.2 mg% (SD 23.3) after 60 min. The increase of maternal and fetal glucose was associated with an elevation of immuno-reactive insulin (IRI). The maternal insulin was 24.0 micronU/ml (SD 8.0). It was scattered over a wide range (55.4 micronU/ml-217.1 micronU/ml) after 60 min. glucose infusion. The fetal insulin was 17.0 micronU/ml (SD 5.2) at control and rose by 86.5% (SD 80.5) after 60 min. glucose load. One case of a mother with a subclinical diabetes mellitus deviated where the fetal insulin rose from 26.0 micronU/ml at control to 215.6 micronU/ml after 60 min. infusion. The increase of insulin per glucose rise was correlated to fetal body weight. During glucose infusion to the mother of both, fetal and maternal, acid base parameters remained unchanged. From these observations it may be concluded that in the human fetus insulin secretion following a single glucose load is generally low, however, it increases in cases where the maternal insulin response to glucose load is abnormal. This might be related to a chronic stimulation by glucose of the fetal pancreatic islet cells in poorly controlled diabetic and possibly prediabetic patients.

Acid-Base Equilibrium

Effect of heart work and insulin on the incorporation of [14C]glucose into hexose phosphates, uridine diphosphate glucose and glycogen in the normal and insulin-deficient perfused rat heart under working and non-working conditions.

1. The specific radioactivities of glucose 1-phosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, UDP-glucose and glycogen, derived from [14C]gluocose, were determined in the normal and insulin-deficient (streptozotocin-diabetic and anti-insulin-serum-treated) perfused non-working and working rat heart. 2. The specific radioactivities of all glucose metabolities reached a plateau after about 10 min, except that for glycogen, which increased slightly but steadily over the whole observation period of 30min. 3. The specific radio-activities of fructose 6-phosphate, UDP-glucose and glycogen were slignificantly lower in the streptozotocin-diabetic heart than in the normal heart. 4. Mechanical work in the normal rat heart increased the specific radioactivities of glucose 1-phosphate, UDP-glucose and glycogen, but had little or no effect on those of gluose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate. 5. In the normal heart insulin strongly increased the specific radioactivities of all gluocse metabolites under all conditions tested. The maximum values achieved in the normal working heart in the presence of insulin were only about 15-20% above those in the normal non-working heart in the presence of insulin for the phosphorylated intermediates and about 40% above for glycogen. 6. In the streptozotocin-diabetic heart, work restored the specific radioactivities of all glucose metabolities to about normal values. 7. In the streptozotocin-diabetic heart insulin strongly increased the specific radioactivities of the direct glycogen precursors glucose 1-phosphate and UDP-glucose; the effect of insulin on glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate was less marked. These results confirm previous findings that the primary metabolic lesion in diabetic heart muscle is a defect of glycogen synthesis. The specific radioactivity of glycogen itself was increased sixfold. 8. Under all conditions tested the specific radioactivity of glucose 1-phosphate was always found to be higher than that of glucose 6-phosphate. This indicated either compartmentation of a small but metabolically very active pool of glucose 6-phosphate, or the existence of a hitherto unknown pathway of metabolism in which glucose 1-phosphate is the primary reaction product. For a number of reasons the authors prefer the first explanation, which could also account for the observation that in the perfused normal working and non-working heart the specific radioactivity of fructose 6-phosphate was always found to be higher than that of glucose 6-phosphate. This difference disappeared or was reversed in the rat hearts rendered insulin-insufficent by either streptozotocin or anti-insulin treatment.

Animals