Characterization of the late posthypoglycemic insulin resistance in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Mechanisms of insulin resistance after insulin-induced hypoglycemia in humans: the role of lipolysis

OBJECTIVE

Changes in glucose metabolism occurring during counterregulation are, in part, mediated by increased plasma free fatty acids (FFAs), as a result of hypoglycemia-activated lipolysis. However, it is not known whether FFA plays a role in the development of posthypoglycemic insulin resistance as well.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a series of studies in eight healthy volunteers using acipimox, an inhibitor of lipolysis. Insulin action was measured during a 2-h hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (plasma glucose [PG] 5.1 mmo/l) from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. or after a 3-h morning hyperinsulinemic-glucose clamp (from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), either euglycemic (study 1) or hypoglycemic (PG 3.2 mmol/l, studies 2-4), during which FFA levels were allowed to increase (study 2), were suppressed by acipimox (study 3), or were replaced by infusing lipids (study 4). [6,6-(2)H(2)]-Glucose was infused to measure glucose fluxes.

RESULTS

Plasma adrenaline, norepinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol levels were unchanged (P > 0.2). Glucose infusion rates (GIRs) during the euglycemic clamp were reduced by morning hypoglycemia in study 2 versus study 1 (16.8 +/- 2.3 vs. 34.1 +/- 2.2 micromol/kg/min, respectively, P < 0.001). The effect was largely removed by blockade of lipolysis during hypoglycemia in study 3 (28.9 +/- 2.6 micromol/kg/min, P > 0.2 vs. study 1) and largely reproduced by replacement of FFA in study 4 (22.3 +/- 2.8 micromol/kg/min, P < 0.03 vs. study 1). Compared with study 2, blockade of lipolysis in study 3 decreased endogenous glucose production (2 +/- 0.3 vs. 0.85 +/- 0.1 micromol/kg/min, P < 0.05) and increased glucose utilization (16.9 +/- 1.85 vs. 28.5 +/- 2.7 micromol/kg/min, P < 0.05). In study 4, GIR fell by approximately 23% (22.3 +/- 2.8 micromol/kg/min, vs. study 3, P = 0.058), indicating a role of acipimox per se on insulin action.

CONCLUSION

Lipolysis induced by hypoglycemia counterregulation largely mediates posthypoglycemic insulin resistance in healthy subjects, with an estimated overall contribution of approximately 39%.

Characterization of the insulin-antagonistic effect of growth hormone in man

The insulin-antagonistic effect of growth hormone was characterized by infusing the hormone at three different infusion rates (6, 12 or 24 mU.kg-1.min-1) for one h in 11 healthy subjects. The insulin effect was measured with the euglycaemic clamp technique combined with D-(3-3H)-glucose infusion to evaluate glucose production and utilization. A control study with NaCl (154 mmol.l-1) infusion was also performed. The insulin levels during the clamps were similar in all studies (36 +/- 0.2 mU.l-1). Peak growth hormone levels were reached at 60 min (growth hormone 6 mU.kg-1.h-1: 31 +/- 5; growth hormone 12 mU.kg-1.h-1: 52 +/- 4 and growth hormone 24 mU.kg-1.h-1; 102 +/- 8 mU.l-1). The insulin-antagonistic effect of growth hormone started after approximately 2 h, was maximal after 4-5 h (approximately 39% inhibition of glucose infusion rate between control and growth hormone 24 mU.kg-1.h-1) and lasted for 6-7 h after peak levels. The resistance was due to a less pronounced insulin effect both to inhibit glucose production and to stimulate glucose utilization. Growth hormone infusion of 12 mU.kg-1.h-1 induced a similar insulin-antagonistic effect as the higher infusion rate whereas 6 mU.kg-1.h-1 induced a smaller response with a duration of 1 h between 3-4 h after peak levels of growth hormone. The present study demonstrates that growth hormone levels similar to those frequently seen in Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients during poor metabolic control or hypoglycaemia, have pronounced insulin-antagonistic effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)