title: Dose-response effect of elevated plasma free fatty acid on insulin signaling.
abstract: The dose-response relationship between elevated plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels and impaired insulin-mediated glucose disposal and insulin signaling was examined in 21 lean, healthy, normal glucose-tolerant subjects. Following a 4-h saline or Liposyn infusion at 30 (n = 9), 60 (n = 6), and 90 (n = 6) ml/h, subjects received a 2-h euglycemic insulin (40 mU . m(-2) . min(-1)) clamp. Basal plasma FFA concentration ( approximately 440 micromol/l) was increased to 695, 1,251, and 1,688 micromol/l after 4 h of Liposyn infusion and resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (R(d)) by 22, 30, and 34%, respectively (all P < 0.05 vs. saline control). At the lowest lipid infusion rate (30 ml/h), insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase activity associated with IRS-1, and Akt serine phosphorylation were all significantly impaired (P < 0.05-0.01). The highest lipid infusion rate (90 ml/h) caused a further significant reduction in all insulin signaling events compared with the low-dose lipid infusion (P < 0.05-0.01) whereas the 60-ml/h lipid infusion caused an intermediate reduction in insulin signaling. However, about two-thirds of the maximal inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal already occurred at the rather modest increase in plasma FFA induced by the low-dose (30-ml/h) lipid infusion. Insulin-stimulated glucose disposal was inversely correlated with both the plasma FFA concentration after 4 h of lipid infusion (r = -0.50, P = 0.001) and the plasma FFA level during the last 30 min of the insulin clamp (r = -0.54, P < 0.001). PI 3-kinase activity associated with IRS-1 correlated with insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (r = 0.45, P < 0.01) and inversely with both the plasma FFA concentration after 4 h of lipid infusion (r = -0.39, P = 0.01) and during the last 30 min of the insulin clamp (r = -0.43, P < 0.01). In summary, in skeletal muscle of lean, healthy subjects, a progressive increase in plasma FFA causes a dose-dependent inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal and insulin signaling. The inhibitory effect of plasma FFA was already significant following a rather modest increase in plasma FFA and develops at concentrations that are well within the physiological range (i.e., at plasma FFA levels observed in obesity and type 2 diabetes).
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Diabetes Division, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belfort
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mandarino
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wirfel
authors.forename: Thongchai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pratipanawatr
authors.forename: Rachele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berria
authors.forename: Ralph A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Defronzo
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cusi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004655:Emulsions; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000502:physiology*; D054709:Lecithins; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D012450:Safflower Oil; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013024:Soybean Oil
chemical_list: D004655:Emulsions; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D054709:Lecithins; C031435:safflower oil, soybean oil, lecithin emulsion; D013024:Soybean Oil; D012450:Safflower Oil; D005947:Glucose