title: Amylin reduces plasma glucagon concentration in cats.
abstract: Pancreatic amylin plays an important role in the control of nutrient fluxes and is an established therapy in human diabetes as it reduces post-prandial glucagon secretion and slows gastric emptying. Given the similar pathophysiology of human type-2 and feline diabetes mellitus, we investigated whether amylin reduces plasma glucagon levels in cats. Healthy cats were tested using an intravenous arginine stimulation test (IVAST), a meal response test with the test meal comprising 50% of average daily food intake, and an IV glucose tolerance test (IVGTT). Non-amyloidogenic rat amylin injected 5 min before the respective stimulus significantly reduced plasma glucagon levels under all test situations. In the IVAST and IVGTT, cats treated with amylin also had lower plasma insulin concentrations. It was concluded that amylin does reduce plasma glucagon levels in cats, a feature that has treatment potential in diabetic animals as co-administration of amylin would reduce the insulin requirement to control glycaemia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Furrer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Claudia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Reusch
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Lutz
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000662:veterinary; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D005934:Glucagon