Persistent stimulatory effect of glucagon on glucose production despite downregulation.
The rise and subsequent return to basal of glucose production (Ra) during a constant glucagon infusion ("downregulation") has suggested to some workers that glucagon's effects are evanescent. To examine whether glucagon displays persistent biological activity even after downregulation, 6 healthy males received an 8 hour infusion of somatostatin and glucagon, with 3H-3-glucose to measure glucose turnover. Ra rose from 2.8 +/- 0.3 to 4.2 +/- 0.3 mg/kg . min at 90 minutes, returned to basal levels at 150 minutes, and remained at this level for the ensuing 330 minutes. Six additional subjects received an 8 hour somatostatin infusion, with glucagon administered concomitantly for the first 5 hours. Glucagon withdrawal at 5 hours produced an immediate decline in Ra from 1.8 +/- 0.2 to 0.9 +/- 0.2 mg/kg . min. Thus, even after downregulation the maintenance of basal Ra is dependent on circulating glucagon.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013004:Somatostatin
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013004:Somatostatin; D005934:Glucagon; D005947:Glucose