Original Paper

Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (7-36 Amide) on Glucose Kinetics during Somatostatin-Induced Suppression of Insulin Secretion in Healthy Men
Anath Shalev, Ronald Ninnis, Ulrich Keller

Departments of Medicine and Research, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland

Address of Corresponding Author

Horm Res 1998;49:221-225 (DOI: 10.1159/000023175)

  Key Words

• Incretin
• Pancreatic clamp
• Glucose clamp
• Peripheral glucose metabolism

  Abstract

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is known to stimulate insulin secretion and biosynthesis, but has also been shown to decrease insulin requirements in type 1 diabetic subjects suggesting insulin-independent effects. To assess whether GLP-1 exerts also direct effects on whole-body glucose metabolism, 6,6-D₂-glucose kinetics were measured in 8 healthy volunteers receiving once GLP-1, once saline during hyperglycemic glucose clamping, while somatostatin with replacement amounts of insulin, glucagon and growth hormone was infused. Even though endogenous insulin secretion could not be blocked completely (increased plasma concentrations of C-peptide and proinsulin), somatostatin infusion resulted in stable insulin and glucagon plasma levels in both protocols (GLP-1 vs. placebo: NS). After 3 h of GLP-1 infusion, peripheral glucose disappearance significantly increased compared to placebo (p < 0.03) despite of somatostatin-induced suppression of insulin and glucagon secretion. Thus, GLP-1 infusion seems to have direct stimulatory effects on peripheral glucose metabolism in man.

  Author Contacts

Dr. Anath Shaley
Department of Medicine
University Hospital of Basel, Petersgraben 4
CH-4031 Basel (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 61 265 25 25, Fax +41 61 361 53 51, E-Mail Shalev@ubaclu.unibas.ch

  Article Information

This work was supported by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (No. 32-39747.93) and the 'Wissenschaftliche Kredit', University Hospital Basel. A.S. is a recipient of grants from the Postgraduate Course in Experimental Medicine and Biology (Swiss National Science Foundation), from the 'Freiwillige Akademische Gesellschaft' and from ESPEN-Ajinomoto.

Received: Received: December 4, 1996
Accepted after revision: October 13, 1997
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 18