title: Suppression of Beta-cell secretion by somatostatin does not fully reverse the disproportionate proinsulinemia of type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Disproportionate hyperproinsulinemia is a feature of beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. It has been hypothesized that this abnormality represents an intrinsic abnormality of the beta-cell and/or may result from an increase in beta-cell secretory demand. To address this, six patients with type 2 diabetes and six age- and BMI-matched normal subjects received a combined 3-h insulin and somatostatin clamp to decrease beta-cell secretory demand. An arginine stimulation test was performed before and at the end of the clamp to measure beta-cell peptide release. In keeping with the reduction in secretory demand, C-peptide levels were suppressed by 60-80% during the clamp, as were proinsulin (PI) levels. The arginine-stimulated PI/C-peptide ratio decreased in the diabetic subjects from 4.4 +/- 1.5% before to 1.8 +/- 0.5% after the clamp (P < 0.01). This latter ratio was similar to that observed in the normal subjects before the somatostatin infusion (1.5 +/- 0.3%). In the normal subjects, after the clamp the PI/C-peptide ratio had decreased to 0.8 +/- 0.3% (P <0.01). Thus, the postclamp PI/C-peptide ratio in the subjects with type 2 diabetes was elevated compared with that in the normal subjects (P <0.05). Based on these observations, while relief of secretory demand on beta-cells by somatostatin decreases the disproportionate elevation in PI levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, the failure to normalize this measure suggests that an intrinsic abnormality of beta-cell function exists in subjects with type 2 diabetes that may be aggravated by increased secretory demand.
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Veteran Affairs, Puget Sound Health Care System, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. mir@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Røder
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kahn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011384:Proinsulin / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D013004:Somatostatin; D011384:Proinsulin