title: Bordetella pertussis-induced hyperinsulinaemia without marked hypoglycaemia: a paradox explained.
abstract: B. pertussis vaccine or pulmonary infection produced marked hyperinsulinaemia in mice relative to controls (e.g. control 32 mU/1; B. pertussis infected 113 mU/1). This was associated with a modest relative hypoglycaemia (15-25%). The hyperinsulinaemia was observed only when blood was collected from mice anaesthetized with ether, pentobarbitone, or trichloroethylene but not from unanaesthetized animals. Ether-induced hyperinsulinaemia in B. pertussis was transient. Adrenaline produced marked hyperinsulinaemia in B. pertussis-infected mice whereas it tended to produce hypoinsulinaemia in control animals. The hyperinsulinaemic effect of ether anaesthesia in B. pertussis-infected mice was significantly reduced by beta-adrenoceptor blockade using propranolol. It is suggested (a) that pertussis-infected or vaccinated mice are not chronically hyperinsulinaemic but show elevated insulin concentrations only when subjected to an additional stimulus; (b) that hyperinsulinaemia produced by anaesthesia in pertussis-treated mice is secondary to an altered responsiveness of the insulin-secreting cells to this stimulus; (c) that part of this stimulus may be due to catecholamines released during anaesthesia.
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004986:Ether / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000494:pharmacology; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine; D004986:Ether; D014241:Trichloroethylene; D010424:Pentobarbital