The nickel dose-response relationship by filaggrin genotype (FLG).

BACKGROUND: On skin contact, nickel accumulates in the stratum corneum, where it is probably bound to proteins and amino acids. One probable contributor is filaggrin, which binds nickel avidly. Filaggrin gene (FLG) null mutations lead to a complete lack of filaggrin production from the affected allele, and have been associated with an increased risk of nickel contact sensitization in German and Danish adults. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the experimental nickel elicitation threshold level differed between heterozygous FLG mutation and non-mutation carriers. METHOD: Thirteen nickel-sensitized female patients, seven heterozygous mutation carriers and six non-mutation carriers (genotyped for R501X, 2282del4, or R2447X), were patch tested and performed a repeated open application test (ROAT) with a nickel sulfate dilution series. Logistic threshold dose-response analyses were used to test for differences between the two groups. RESULTS: No difference was found in the dose-response relationship between FLG mutation and non-mutation carriers. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this small patient study, it appears that the elicitation threshold level for nickel is independent of FLG null mutation single-allele carrier status.

Association between positive patch tests to epoxy resin and fragrance mix I ingredients.

BACKGROUND: Both epoxy resin (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A) and fragrance mix I are included in the European baseline series of contact allergens. A significant association between positive reactions to epoxy resin and fragrance mix has been reported by others. OBJECTIVE: To investigate and possibly reproduce this association with the use of TRUE((R)) test data and supplementary tests with fragrance mix ingredients from the Department of Dermatology, Odense University Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six thousand one hundred and fifteen consecutive eczema patients tested from 1995 to 2007 were included, and test results from all patients tested with fragrance mix ingredients were analysed. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-five (2.4%) were positive to epoxy resin and 282 (4.6%) were positive to fragrance mix I. Nineteen were positive to both giving an odds ratio of 3.3, which is significant (95% CI 2.0-5.4). Analysis of association to individual fragrance mix ingredients showed a significant association to alpha-amyl cinnamal and isoeugenol. CONCLUSIONS: The significant association between positive reactions to epoxy resin and fragrance mix I was reproduced. However, the clinical implications are not clarified, and even though the association may be coincidental, the fact that it can be reproduced with a different patch test system and in a different population speaks against a random result. Further studies may help to interpret the association.

KATP channel closure ameliorates the impaired insulinotropic effect of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The reduced incretin effect in subjects with type 2 diabetes is accompanied by a severely impaired insulinotropic effect of the incretin hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). The K(ATP) channels of the beta-cell appear to be essential for the function of GIP in mice, and mutations in the gene encoding these channels have been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. With this study we therefore aimed at clarifying the role of K(ATP) channel malfunction in the impaired function of GIP. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined 12 subjects with type 2 diabetes using a 2-h (15 mM) hyperglycemic clamp on 4 separate days with concomitant infusion of one of the following: GIP; GIP + 10 mg sulfonylurea (SU, glipizide) taken orally 1 h before the clamp; saline + 10 mg SU; or saline alone. Blood was sampled to measure plasma concentrations of glucose, intact GIP, insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon. RESULTS: Compared to the results of GIP alone, SU alone, or those results added together, coadministration of GIP and SU resulted in a more-than-additive increase in the peripheral insulin (P = 0.002) and C-peptide (P = 0.028) responses and furthermore, a more-than-additive increase in total (P = 0.01), early (P = 0.02), and late-phase (P = 0.02) insulin secretion. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that inhibiting the K(ATP) channels of the diabetic beta-cell acutely using SU significantly increases both the peripheral insulin response to GIP and GIP-induced insulin secretion, indicating an ameliorated insulinotropic effect of GIP.

[Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist-treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes]. / Interleukin-1 receptorantagonistbehandling af patienter med type 2-diabetes--sekundaerpublikation.

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) expression is reduced in islets of patients with type 2 diabetes. 70 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to treatment with anakinra (IL-1Ra) or placebo for 13 weeks. Following treatment glycated hemoglobin was 0.46 percent lower, C-peptide secretion was enhanced, and systemic IL-6 and C-reactive protein levels were reduced in the anakinra group compared to the placebo group. Insulin resistance remained unchanged. Blocking IL-1 activity improved glycemia and b-cell secretory function and reduced markers of systemic inflammation.

Reduced incretin effect in type 2 diabetes: cause or consequence of the diabetic state?

We aimed to investigate whether the reduced incretin effect observed in patients with type 2 diabetes is a primary event in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes or a consequence of the diabetic state. Eight patients with chronic pancreatitis and secondary diabetes (A1C mean [range] of 6.9% [6.2-8.0]), eight patients with chronic pancreatitis and normal glucose tolerance (NGT; 5.3 [4.9-5.7]), eight patients with type 2 diabetes (6.9 [6.2-8.0]); and eight healthy subjects (5.5 [5.1-5.8]) were studied. Blood was sampled over 4 h on 2 separate days after a 50-g oral glucose load and an isoglycemic intravenous glucose infusion, respectively. The incretin effect (100% x [beta-cell secretory response to oral glucose tolerance test - intravenous beta-cell secretory response]/beta-cell secretory response to oral glucose tolerance test) was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced (means +/- SE) in patients with chronic pancreatitis and secondary diabetes (31 +/- 4%) compared with patients with chronic pancreatitis and NGT (68 +/- 3) and healthy subjects (60 +/- 4), respectively. In the type 2 diabetes group, the incretin effect amounted to 36 +/- 6%, significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in chronic pancreatitis patients with NGT and in healthy subjects, respectively. These results suggest that the reduced incretin effect is not a primary event in the development of type 2 diabetes, but rather a consequence of the diabetic state.

Interleukin-1-receptor antagonist in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The expression of interleukin-1-receptor antagonist is reduced in pancreatic islets of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and high glucose concentrations induce the production of interleukin-1beta in human pancreatic beta cells, leading to impaired insulin secretion, decreased cell proliferation, and apoptosis. METHODS: In this double-blind, parallel-group trial involving 70 patients with type 2 diabetes, we randomly assigned 34 patients to receive 100 mg of anakinra (a recombinant human interleukin-1-receptor antagonist) subcutaneously once daily for 13 weeks and 36 patients to receive placebo. At baseline and at 13 weeks, all patients underwent an oral glucose-tolerance test, followed by an intravenous bolus of 0.3 g of glucose per kilogram of body weight, 0.5 mg of glucagon, and 5 g of arginine. In addition, 35 patients underwent a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study. The primary end point was a change in the level of glycated hemoglobin, and secondary end points were changes in beta-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and inflammatory markers. RESULTS: At 13 weeks, in the anakinra group, the glycated hemoglobin level was 0.46 percentage point lower than in the placebo group (P=0.03); C-peptide secretion was enhanced (P=0.05), and there were reductions in the ratio of proinsulin to insulin (P=0.005) and in levels of interleukin-6 (P<0.001) and C-reactive protein (P=0.002). Insulin resistance, insulin-regulated gene expression in skeletal muscle, serum adipokine levels, and the body-mass index were similar in the two study groups. Symptomatic hypoglycemia was not observed, and there were no apparent drug-related serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: The blockade of interleukin-1 with anakinra improved glycemia and beta-cell secretory function and reduced markers of systemic inflammation. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00303394 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).

The BIGTT test: a novel test for simultaneous measurement of pancreatic beta-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and glucose tolerance.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin resistance and impaired beta-cell function are key elements in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. We aimed to develop valid algorithms for estimation of the insulin sensitivity index (S(I)) and acute insulin response (AIR) derived from simple and cheap physiological measurements that could be used in large-scale metabolic, genetic, and epidemiological studies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: For our purpose, data from an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (18 samples during 240 min) and a tolbutamide-modified intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) (33 samples during 180 min) from 258 individuals with fasting plasma glucose <7 mmol/l and 2-h plasma glucose <7.8 mmol/l were used for model development and internal validation. Data from an additional 28 individuals were used for external validation. Bergman's minimal model was used to calculate S(I), and the trapezoidal method was used to calculate AIR(0-8 min). Multiple linear regression was applied to derive predictive equations of log(S(I)) and log(AIR(0-8 min)) using data on sex, BMI, plasma glucose, and serum insulin levels obtained during the OGTT. RESULTS: We demonstrate that it is possible to obtain estimates of S(I) (BIGTT-S(I)) and AIR (BIGTT-AIR) that are highly correlated to IVGTT-derived values of S(I) (R(2) = 0.77) and AIR (R(2) = 0.54). In the two validation datasets we obtained similar results. CONCLUSIONS: Data from OGTTs can provide accurate measures of insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function, which can be used in large scale metabolic, genetic, and epidemiological studies.

Increased postprandial responses of GLP-1 and GIP in patients with chronic pancreatitis and steatorrhea following pancreatic enzyme substitution.

We aimed to investigate how assimilation of nutrients affects the postprandial responses of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and to evaluate the effect of pancreatic enzyme substitution (PES) on insulin secretion in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI). Eight male patients with CP and PEI were studied. Blood was sampled frequently on two separate days after ingestion of a liquid meal with and without PES, respectively. Eight healthy male subjects served as a control group. beta-Cell responsiveness was estimated as changes in insulin secretion rates in response to changes in postprandial plasma glucose (PG). There was no difference in the PG incremental area under curve (AUC) for patients with and without PES [406 +/- 100 vs. 425 +/- 80 mM.4 h (mean +/- SE), P = 0.8]. The response of total GLP-1 was higher after PES (AUC: 7.8 +/- 1.2 vs. 5.3 +/- 0.6 nM.4 h, P = 0.01), as was the response of total GIP (AUC: 32.7 +/- 7.5 vs. 21.1 +/- 8.3 nM.4 h, P = 0.01). Concurrently, both plasma insulin, plasma C-peptide, and total insulin secretion increased after PES (AUC: 17.7 +/- 4.2 vs. 13.6 +/- 2.9 nM.4 h, P = 0.02; 237 +/- 31.4 vs. 200 +/- 27.4 nM.4 h, P = 0.005; and 595 +/- 82 vs. 497 +/- 80 pmol.kg(-1).4 h, P = 0.01, respectively). beta-Cell responsiveness to glucose was not significantly different on the two study days for patients with CP. These results suggest that the secretion of GLP-1 and GIP is under influence of the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine and that PES increases insulin secretion.

Bioequivalence of topical formulations in humans: evaluation by dermal microdialysis sampling and the dermatopharmacokinetic method.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between dermal microdialysis (DMD) sampling and the dermatopharmacokinetic method when employed simultaneously for bioequivalence (BE) investigations of topical formulations. Topical lidocaine cream and ointment (both 5%) was investigated in eight healthy human volunteers (four male, four female). On one forearm, four microdialysis probes in two penetration areas sampled for 5 hours, and on the other arm, tape stripping was performed 30 and 120 minutes after product application. Lidocaine content in samples was analyzed by HPLC-mass spectrometry. The two methods were in agreement showing 3- to 5-fold higher lidocaine penetration from cream formulation than from ointment. A rank-order correlation between the two methods was demonstrated for lidocaine contents in microdialysates versus tape strip at 120 minutes, significant for the ointment formulation and for both formulations analyzed together. Analysis of variance demonstrated reproducible lidocaine concentrations in microdialysates with an intrasubject variability of 19% between probes and 20% between the two penetration areas. Thus, intersubject variability accounted for 61% of the variance. DMD sampling proved effective and variability analyses demonstrated the feasibility of BE studies in as little as 18 subjects.

Biochemical and physiological properties of a novel series of long-acting insulin analogs obtained by acylation with cholic acid derivatives.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the suitability of insulin analogs acylated by various cholic acid derivatives for use as basal insulin, and to test the most promising of these, LysB29(Nepsilon-lithocholyl-gamma-Glu) des(B30) human insulin (NN344) in pigs. METHODS: Circular dichroism spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography were used to explore the physicochemical properties of the analogs, and affinities for albumin and insulin receptors were determined. After subcutaneous injection in pigs, disappearance half-times were measured, and the plasma profile and glucose-lowering effect in a euglycemic clamp were assessed for NN344. RESULTS: NN344 showed glucose-lowering activity lasting more than 24 h. Glucose infusion rate was essentially constant from 5 to 19 h after injection. NN344 seemed to be a dodecamer in the presence of zinc ions and phenol. Without phenol, the apparent molecular mass was >5000 kDa. Formation of such a self-assembly at the site of s.c. injection and its subsequent slow decomposition might explain the long duration of action of NN344. A measurable affinity for albumin of the lithocholic acid ligand may also contribute to the prolonged action. CONCLUSIONS: NN344 is a candidate for a neutral soluble basal insulin that might offer people with diabetes a prolonged duration, smooth, and predictable basal insulin supplement.

Normal secretion and action of the gut incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide in young men with low birth weight.

CONTEXT: Low birth weight (LBW) is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. An impaired incretin effect was reported previously in type 2 diabetic patients. OBJECTIVE: We studied the secretion and action of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) in young LBW men (n = 24) and matched normal birth weight controls (NBW) (n = 25). RESULTS: LBW subjects were 5 cm shorter but had a body mass index similar to NBW. LBW subjects had significantly elevated fasting and postprandial plasma glucose, as well as postprandial (standard meal test) plasma insulin and C-peptide concentrations, suggestive of insulin resistance. Insulin secretion in response to changes in glucose concentration ("beta-cell responsiveness") during the meal test was similar in LBW and NBW but inappropriate in LBW relative to insulin sensitivity. Fasting and postprandial plasma GLP-1 and GIP levels were similar in the groups. First- and second-phase insulin responses were similar in LBW and NBW during a hyperglycemic clamp (7 mm) with infusion of GLP-1 or GIP, respectively, demonstrating normal action of these hormones on insulin secretion. CONCLUSION: Reduced secretion or action of GLP-1 or GIP does not explain a relative reduced beta-cell responsiveness to glucose or the slightly elevated plasma glucose concentrations observed in young LBW men.

Beta-cell dysfunction and low insulin clearance in insulin-resistant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with lipodystrophy.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a better understanding of the physiological aspects of glucose homeostasis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with lipodystrophy, we evaluated separately beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity after an oral glucose load. DESIGN: Beta-cell function was investigated during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (75 g, 180 min) in 16 lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients and in 15 age- and weight-matched nonlipodystrophic HIV-infected patients. All participants were sedentary Caucasian males, who were on highly active antiretroviral therapy with no history of diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance. Prehepatic insulin secretion rates were estimated by deconvolution of C-peptide concentrations. A composite measure of insulin sensitivity was derived from the OGTT. RESULTS: Beta-cell secretory capacity (i.e. the rate of change in insulin secretion per unit change in glucose concentration) was similar in lipodystrophic and nonlipodystrophic patients (6.2 +/- 1.0 mU kg(-1) min(-1) mg(-1) dl vs. 5.4 +/- 0.4, P > 0.4), but insulin sensitivity was reduced by 61% in lipodystrophic patients (P < 0.004). The disposition index (insulin capacity multiplied with insulin sensitivity) and insulin clearance rate were reduced in lipodystrophic patients (-55%, P < 0.003 and -31%, P < 0.004). Insulin clearance rate correlated strongly with insulin sensitivity (r = 0.82, P < 0.001). More lipodystrophic than nonlipodystrophic patients exhibited impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus (63%vs. 20%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the concept that impaired glucose tolerance in lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients relates to a failure of the beta-cells to fully compensate for decrements in insulin sensitivity despite simultaneous reduction in insulin clearance.

In nondiabetic, human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with lipodystrophy, hepatic insulin extraction and posthepatic insulin clearance rate are decreased in proportion to insulin resistance.

In healthy, nondiabetic individuals with insulin resistance, fasting insulin is inversely correlated to the posthepatic insulin clearance rate (MCRi) and the hepatic insulin extraction (HEXi). We investigated whether similar early mechanisms to facilitate glucose homeostasis exist in nondiabetic, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with and without lipodystrophy. We studied 18 HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy (LIPO) on antiretroviral therapy and 25 HIV-infected patients without lipodystrophy (controls) of whom 18 were on antiretroviral therapy and 7 were not. Posthepatic insulin clearance rate was estimated as the ratio of posthepatic insulin appearance rate to steady-state plasma insulin concentration during a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp (40 mU.m-2 .min-1). Posthepatic insulin appearance rate during the clamp was calculated, taking into account the remnant endogenous insulin secretion, which was estimated by deconvolution of C-peptide concentrations. Hepatic extraction of insulin was calculated as 1 minus the ratio of fasting posthepatic insulin delivery rate to fasting endogenous insulin secretion rate. Compared with controls, LIPO displayed increased fasting insulin (130%, P < .001), impaired insulin sensitivity index (M value, -29%, P < .001), and reduced MCRi (-17%, P < .01). Hepatic extraction of insulin was similar between groups (LIPO, 55%; controls, 57%; P > .8). In LIPO, HEXi and MCRi correlated inversely with fasting insulin (r = -0.56, P < .02 and r = -0.68, P < .002) and positively with M value (r = 0.63, P < .01 and r = 0.65, P < .004). In controls, MCRi correlated inversely with fasting insulin (r = -0.47, P < .02) and positively with M value (r = 0.57, P < .004); however, the correlations between HEXi and these parameters were insignificant (P > .1). Our data suggest that HEXi and MCRi are decreased in proportion to the degree of insulin resistance in nondiabetic HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy.

The mechanism of protraction of insulin detemir, a long-acting, acylated analog of human insulin.

PURPOSE: Insulin detemir has been found in clinical trials to be absorbed with very low variability. A series of experiments were performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: The disappearance from an injected subcutaneous depot and elimination studies in plasma were carried out in pigs. Size-exclusion chromatography was used to assess the self-association and albumin binding states of insulin detemir and analogs. RESULTS: Disappearance T50% from the injection depot was 10.2+/-1.2 h for insulin detemir and 2.0+/-0.1 h for a monomeric acylated insulin analog. Self-association of acylated insulin analogs with same albumin affinity in saline correlated with disappearance rate and addition of albumin to saline showed a combination of insulin detemir self association and albumin binding. Intravenous kinetic studies showed that the clearance and volume of distribution decreased with increasing albumin binding affinity of different acylated insulin analogs. CONCLUSIONS: The protracted action of detemir is primarily achieved through slow absorption into blood. Dihexamerization and albumin binding of hexameric and dimeric detemir prolongs residence time at the injection depot. Some further retention of detemir occurs in the circulation where albumin binding causes buffering of insulin concentration. Insulin detemir provides a novel principle of protraction, enabling increased predictability of basal insulin.

Influence of a detergent on skin response to methyldibromo glutaronitrile in sensitized individuals.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the combined effect of the preservative methyldibromo glutaronitrile (MDBGN) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) on the elicitation response of allergic contact dermatitis. 20 volunteers with contact allergy to MDBGN were patch tested with 5 concentrations (10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 p.p.m.) of MDBGN alone and in combination with 0.25% SLS on the upper arms for 24 h. Skin reactions were evaluated by clinical scoring, and data were evaluated by logistic dose-response models. Additionally, evaluation of skin reactions was performed by measurement of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin colour. Measurements were obtained at baseline and at D3 and D7. As evaluated by clinical assessment, allergic reactions to MDBGN were elicited at lower concentrations when applied in combination with SLS than when applied alone. The response was augmented by a factor of 6.4. An increased response to combined exposure to SLS and MDBGN as compared with MDBGN alone was confirmed by TEWL and colour measurements. Effects of exposure time and concentration of the detergent are discussed. In conclusion, an augmented response was found after concurrent application of MDBGN and SLS. The response was augmented by a factor of 6.4, with confidence limits of 2.8-14.6 (P < 0.0001). This result is important in relation to the determination of threshold values and the risk assessment of contact allergens in consumer and industrial products, where allergens are often present in combination with surfactants.

Lipodystrophy in human immunodeficiency virus patients impairs insulin action and induces defects in beta-cell function.

The pathophysiology of insulin resistance in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS) is not fully clarified. We investigated 18 men with HALS and 18 HIV-positive males without lipodystrophy (control subjects). Duration and modality of antiretroviral therapy were similar between study groups. A hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp showed an impaired glucose disposal rate (GDR) in HALS patients (5.6 v 8.3 mg glucose/min. kg(FFM), P =.0006). As demonstrated by indirect calorimetry, HALS patients showed an impaired nonoxidative glucose metabolism (NOGM, 2.2 v 4.2, P =.006), whereas levels of basal and insulin-stimulated oxidative glucose metabolism (OGM) (2.4 v 2.3, P =.55, and 3.3 v 4.0, P =.064, respectively) were not significantly different between groups. Despite comparable total fat masses, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans showed that the percentage of limb fat (ie, peripheral-fat-mass/[peripheral-fat-mass + trunk-fat-mass]. 100%) was reduced in HALS patients (36% v 46%, P =.0002). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that percentage of limb fat explained 53% of the variability of GDR and 45% of the variability of NOGM in HALS patients. In HALS patients, leg fat mass correlated positively with NOGM (r =.51, P <.05), whereas abdominal fat mass and NOGM did not correlate (P =.91). Analyzing the relationship between first phase insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity, 6 HALS patients compared with none of the control subjects exhibited impaired insulin secretion (P <.05). Our data suggest that fat redistribution independently of antiretroviral therapy is highly related to insulin resistance in HALS patients. Furthermore, in HALS patients, impaired glucose metabolism most likely relates to decreased NOGM and to defects in beta-cell function.

Insulin secretion after short- and long-term low-grade free fatty acid infusion in men with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

We studied the effect of a low-grade short- and long-term 20% Intralipid infusion (0.4 mL(-1) x kg(-1) x h(-1)) on insulin secretion and insulin action in 15 elderly obese men; 7 glucose intolerant first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetic patients (impaired glucose tolerance [IGT] relatives) and 8 healthy controls of similar age and body mass index (BMI). Intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and a graded glucose infusion (dose-response test [DORE]) were performed to determine first phase insulin response and to explore the dose response relationship between glucose concentration and insulin secretion rates (ISR). ISR were calculated by deconvolution of plasma C-peptide concentrations. Insulin action was determined by performing a 120-minute hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. All tests were performed 3 times, preceded by 0, 2, or 24 hours Intralipid infusion. Disposition indices (DI) were calculated for the IVGTT. Insulin action was reduced 25% after 2 and 24 hours Intralipid infusion in both groups. In IGT relatives, the beta-cell responsiveness to glucose (measured during DORE) decreased after 2 and 24 hours Intralipid infusion (P=.02), whereas first phase insulin response (measured during IVGTT) decreased after 24 hours Intralipid infusion. Insulin secretion measured during DORE and IVGTT was not affected by Intralipid infusion in controls. DI decreased after 2 and 24 hours Intralipid infusion in the total study population. In conclusion, insulin resistance induced by low-grade short- and long-term Intralipid infusion is not balanced by an adequate compensatory increase in insulin secretion in IGT relatives or in matched controls. IGT relatives appear to be more sensitive to the deleterious effects of low-grade fat infusion on insulin secretion than normal glucose tolerant control subjects.

The influence of GLP-1 on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion: effects on beta-cell sensitivity in type 2 and nondiabetic subjects.

The intestinally derived hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) (7-36 amide) has potent effects on glucose-mediated insulin secretion, insulin gene expression, and beta-cell growth and differentiation. It is, therefore, considered a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, the dose-response relationship between GLP-1 and basal and glucose-stimulated prehepatic insulin secretion rate (ISR) is currently not known. Seven patients with type 2 diabetes and seven matched nondiabetic control subjects were studied. ISR was determined during a graded glucose infusion of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1) over 150 min on four occasions with infusion of saline or GLP-1 at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1). GLP-1 enhanced ISR in a dose-dependent manner during the graded glucose infusion from 332 +/- 51 to 975 +/- 198 pmol/kg in the patients with type 2 diabetes and from 711 +/- 123 to 2,415 +/- 243 pmol/kg in the control subjects. The beta-cell responsiveness to glucose, expressed as the slope of the linear relation between ISR and the glucose concentration, increased in proportion to the GLP-1 dose to 6 times relative to saline at the highest GLP-1 dose in the patients and 11 times in the control subjects, but it was 3 to 5 times lower in the patients with type 2 diabetes compared with healthy subjects at the same GLP-1 dose. During infusion of GLP-1 at 0.5 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) in the patients, the slope of ISR versus glucose became indistinguishable from that of the control subjects without GLP-1. Our results show that GLP-1 increases insulin secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes and control subjects in a dose-dependent manner and that the beta-cell responsiveness to glucose may be increased to normal levels with a low dose of GLP-1 infusion. Nevertheless, the results also indicate that the dose-response relation between beta-cell responsiveness to glucose and GLP-1 is severely impaired in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Impact of two common polymorphisms in the PPARgamma gene on glucose tolerance and plasma insulin profiles in monozygotic and dizygotic twins: thrifty genotype, thrifty phenotype, or both?

The Pro12Ala polymorphism in the PPARgamma2 gene has been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. Recently, an association between dizygotic twinning and PPARgamma gene polymorphisms has been proposed. We investigated the phenotypic appearance of the two polymorphisms (Pro12Ala and exon 6 C-->T) in PPARgamma among elderly twins (207 monozygotic [MZ] and 342 dizygotic [DZ]) and evaluated whether they could explain previously reported differences in plasma glucose and insulin profiles among MZ and DZ twins. We demonstrated a significant impact of the Pro12Ala polymorphism on glucose tolerance, diabetic status, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, and plasma insulin profiles in twins. No impact of the silent exon 6 polymorphism on glucose homeostasis or plasma insulin profiles was found. Independent of the polymorphisms, we observed a significant impact of zygosity status per se on the plasma insulin profile after oral glucose ingestion, with the MZ twins being more hyperinsulinemic, indicating insulin resistance, than the DZ twins. Nonsignificantly higher glucose concentrations were observed among MZ compared with DZ twins. We demonstrated an association between the Ala allele and reduced risk of diabetes and insulin resistance in twins. However, the differences in metabolic profiles among MZ and DZ twins were not explained by differences in frequencies of the genetic variants and may be due to intrauterine environmental factors operating in twins independent of genotype. Accordingly, our study simultaneously supports a role for both the intrauterine environment (thrifty phenotype) and for genetics (thrifty genotype) in the etiology of insulin resistance and perhaps glucose intolerance in twins.