Hepatic Glucose Production (hepatic + glucose_production)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


AMP-activated protein kinase in the regulation of hepatic energy metabolism: from physiology to therapeutic perspectives

ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2009
B. Viollet
Abstract As the liver is central in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis and energy storage, knowledge of the physiology as well as physiopathology of hepatic energy metabolism is a prerequisite to our understanding of whole-body metabolism. Hepatic fuel metabolism changes considerably depending on physiological circumstances (fed vs. fasted state). In consequence, hepatic carbohydrate, lipid and protein synthesis/utilization are tightly regulated according to needs. Fatty liver and hepatic insulin resistance (both frequently associated with the metabolic syndrome) or increased hepatic glucose production (as observed in type 2 diabetes) resulted from alterations in substrates oxidation/storage balance in the liver. Because AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is considered as a cellular energy sensor, it is important to gain understanding of the mechanism by which hepatic AMPK coordinates hepatic energy metabolism. AMPK has been implicated as a key regulator of physiological energy dynamics by limiting anabolic pathways (to prevent further ATP consumption) and by facilitating catabolic pathways (to increase ATP generation). Activation of hepatic AMPK leads to increased fatty acid oxidation and simultaneously inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis, cholesterol synthesis and glucose production. In addition to a short-term effect on specific enzymes, AMPK also modulates the transcription of genes involved in lipogenesis and mitochondrial biogenesis. The identification of AMPK targets in hepatic metabolism should be useful in developing treatments to reverse metabolic abnormalities of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. [source]


The relationship between peripheral glucose utilisation and insulin sensitivity in the regulation of hepatic glucose production: studies in normal and alloxan-diabetic dogs

DIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 2 2006
M. J. Christopher
Abstract Background Hepatic glucose overproduction (HGP) of diabetes could be primary or could occur in response to the metabolic needs of peripheral (skeletal muscle (SkM)) tissues. This question was tested in normal and diabetic dogs. Methods HGP, SkM glucose uptake (Rdtissue), metabolic clearance of glucose (MCRg) and glycolytic flux (GFexog), and SkM biopsies were measured in the same dogs before and after alloxan-induced diabetes. Normal dogs were exposed to (1) an extended 20-h fast, (2) low- and high-dose glucose infusions (GINF) at basal insulinaemia, and chronic diabetic dogs were exposed to (3) hyperglycaemia, (4) phlorizin-induced normoglycaemia, and (5) poor and good diabetic control. Results (1) Prolonged fast: HGP, Rdtissue, and GFexog fell in parallel (p < 0.05). (2) Low-dose GINF: plasma glucose, insulin, Rdtissue, MCRg, and GFexog were unchanged, but HGP fell by ,40%, paralleling the supplemental GINF. (3) High-dose GINF at basal insulin: plasma glucose doubled and synchronous changes in HGP, Rdtissue, MCRg, and GFexog occurred; ICglucose, G6P, and glycogen were unchanged. (4) Hyperglycaemic diabetes: HGP was raised (p < 0.05), matching urinary glucose loss (UGL) and decreased MCRg, and maintaining normal basal Rdtissue and GFexog. SkM ICglucose was increased and glycogen decreased (both p < 0.05). (5) Phlorizin-induced normoglycaemia in diabetic dogs: HGP rose, matching the increased UGL, while maintaining normal Rdtissue and GFexog. Intramuscular substrates normalised. (6) Whole body and SkM metabolism normalised with correction of the insulin resistance and good diabetic control. Conclusion HGP reflects whether SkM is in a state of relative glucose ,excess' or absolute/relative glucose ,deprivation'. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


An insulin-resistant hypertriglyceridaemic normotensive obese dog model: assessment of insulin resistance by the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp in combination with the stable isotope technique

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 3-4 2003
E. Bailhache
Summary Many studies have shown that in humans insulin resistance (IR) is associated with obesity and hypertriglyceridaemia. The aim of our study was to develop slowly dietary-induced obesity in dogs through long-term overfeeding of a high-fat diet, and to characterize this IR, hypertriglyceridaemic and normotensive model. Insulin resistance was assessed by the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique. The contribution of hepatic glucose production during the clamp was evaluated using a constant stable-isotope-labelled glucose infusion. Overfeeding a high-fat diet for 7 months was associated with a 43 ± 5% body weight increase. Insulin resistance was characterized by hyperinsulinaemia in the unfed state (10 ± 1 vs. 24 ± 1 ,U/ml, in healthy and obese dogs, respectively, p < 0.02) and by a reduction of the insulin-mediated glucose uptake (28 ± 3 vs. 16 ± 1 mg/kg/min, p < 0.02). Hepatic glucose production suppression under insulin infusion allowed to conclude that this reduced glucose uptake resulted from a decrease of insulin sensitivity in obese dogs. Furthermore, animals remained normotensive and exhibited a marked hypertriglyceridaemia (0.26 ± 0.04 vs. 0.76 ± 0.15 mmol/l, in healthy and obese dogs, respectively, p < 0.02). Because hypertriglyceridaemia is the most common lipid abnormality in insulin-resistant humans, this dog with slowly induced obesity may constitute a good model to study the consequences of IR in lipid metabolism independently of vascular changes. [source]


Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology of the Cardiometabolic Syndrome

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 12 2009
Erik P. Kirk PhD
The cardiometabolic syndrome represents a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The mechanism(s) responsible for developing the cardiometabolic syndrome is not known, but it is likely that multi-organ insulin resistance, which is a common feature of the cardiometabolic syndrome, is involved. Insulin resistance is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes and can cause vasoconstriction and renal sodium reabsorption, leading to increased blood pressure. Alterations in adipose tissue fatty acid and adipokine metabolism are involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Excessive rates of fatty acid release into the bloodstream can impair the ability of insulin to stimulate muscle glucose uptake and suppress hepatic glucose production. Noninfectious systemic inflammation associated with adipocyte and adipose tissue macrophage cytokine production can also cause insulin resistance. In addition, increased free fatty acid delivery to the liver can stimulate hepatic very low-density lipoprotein triglyceride production, leading to dyslipidemia. [source]


Chronic Ethanol-Induced Insulin Resistance Is Associated With Macrophage Infiltration Into Adipose Tissue and Altered Expression of Adipocytokines

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2007
Li Kang
Background:, Chronic ethanol consumption disrupts glucose homeostasis and is associated with the development of insulin resistance. While adipose tissue and skeletal muscle are the two major organs utilizing glucose in response to insulin, the relative contribution of these two tissues to impaired glucose homeostasis during chronic ethanol feeding is not known. As other models of insulin resistance, such as obesity, are characterized by an infiltration of macrophages into adipose tissue, as well as changes in the expression of adipocytokines that play a central role in the regulation of insulin sensitivity, we hypothesized that chronic ethanol-induced insulin resistance would be associated with increased macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue and changes in the expression of adipocytokines by adipose tissue. Methods:, Male Wistar rats were fed a liquid diet containing ethanol as 36% of calories or pair-fed a control diet for 4 weeks. The effects of chronic ethanol feeding on insulin-stimulated glucose utilization were studied using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique, coupled with the use of isotopic tracers. Further, macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue and expression of adipocytokines were also assessed after chronic ethanol feeding. Results:, Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies revealed that chronic ethanol feeding to rats decreased whole-body glucose utilization and decreased insulin-mediated suppression of hepatic glucose production. Chronic ethanol feeding decreased glucose uptake in epididymal, subcutaneous, and omental adipose tissue during the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, but had no effect on glucose disposal in skeletal muscle. Chronic ethanol feeding increased the infiltration of macrophages into epididymal adipose tissue and changed the expression of mRNA for adipocytokines: expression of mRNA for monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, tumor necrosis factor ,, and interleukin-6 were increased, while expression of mRNA for retinol binding protein 4 and adiponectin were decreased in epididymal adipose tissue. Conclusions:, These data demonstrate that chronic ethanol feeding results in the development of insulin resistance, associated with impaired insulin-mediated suppression of hepatic glucose production and decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into adipose tissue. Chronic ethanol-induced insulin resistance was associated with increased macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue, as well as changes in the expression of adipocytokines by adipose tissue. [source]


Integration of [U- 13C]glucose and 2H2O for quantification of hepatic glucose production and gluconeogenesis

NMR IN BIOMEDICINE, Issue 4 2003
Rui Perdigoto
Abstract Glucose metabolism in five healthy subjects fasted for 16,h was measured with a combination of [U- 13C]glucose and 2H2O tracers. Phenylbutyric acid was also provided to sample hepatic glutamine for the presence of 13C-isotopomers derived from the incorporation of [U- 13C]glucose products into the hepatic Krebs cycle. Glucose production (GP) was quantified by 13C NMR analysis of the monoacetone derivative of plasma glucose following a primed infusion of [U- 13C]glucose and provided reasonable estimates (1.90,±,0.19,mg/kg/min with a range of 1.60,2.15,mg/kg/min). The same derivative yielded measurements of plasma glucose 2H-enrichment from 2H2O by 2H NMR from which the contribution of glycogenolytic and gluconeogenic fluxes to GP was obtained (0.87,±,0.14 and 1.03,±,0.10,mg/kg/min, respectively). Hepatic glutamine 13C-isotopomers representing multiply-enriched oxaloacetate and [U- 13C]acetyl-CoA were identified as multiplets in the 13C NMR signals of the glutamine moiety of urinary phenylacetylglutamine, demonstrating entry of the [U- 13C]glucose tracer into both oxidative and anaplerotic pathways of the hepatic Krebs cycle. These isotopomers contributed 0.1,0.2% excess enrichment to carbons 2 and 3 and ,0.05% to carbon 4 of glutamine. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Acute exercise modulates the Foxo1/PGC-1, pathway in the liver of diet-induced obesity rats

THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2009
Eduardo R. Ropelle
PGC-1, expression is a tissue-specific regulatory feature that is extremely relevant to diabetes. Several studies have shown that PGC-1, activity is atypically activated in the liver of diabetic rodents and contributes to hepatic glucose production. PGC-1, and Foxo1 can physically interact with one another and represent an important signal transduction pathway that governs the synthesis of glucose in the liver. However, the effect of physical activity on PGC-1,/Foxo1 association is unknown. Here we investigate the expression of PGC-1, and the association of PGC-1,/Foxo1 in the liver of diet-induced obese rats after acute exercise. Wistar rats swam for two 3 h-long bouts, separated by a 45 min rest period. Eight hours after the acute exercise protocol, the rats were submitted to an insulin tolerance test (ITT) and biochemical and molecular analysis. Results demonstrate that acute exercise improved insulin signalling, increasing insulin-stimulated Akt and Foxo1 phosphorylation and decreasing PGC-1, expression and PGC-1,/Foxo1 interaction in the liver of diet-induced obesity rats under fasting conditions. These phenomena are accompanied by a reduction in the expression of gluconeogenesis genes, such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphate (G6Pase). Thus, these results provide new insights into the mechanism by which exercise could improve fasting hyperglycaemia. [source]


Developmental disorders of glucose metabolism in infants

CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2002
R. Hume
Abstract Background Developmental failures to adequately control postnatal blood glucose levels are common in the transition from fetal to infant life and can persist for many months. The standard method of functionally measuring hepatic glucose production and/or disordered glucose production is the response to a glucagon tolerance test. Method We adapted the standard glucagon tolerance test used for children and adults for use in preterm infants. 79 consecutive preterm infants gestational age range 25,36 weeks (mean 32.2 weeks), mean birth weight 1.66 kg admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee and who survived to discharge home were recruited into the study. At the time of discharge home the characteristics of the group were as follows: adjusted mean gestational age 36.7 weeks, mean discharge weight 2.23 kg. Results In this study of preterm infants the maximal increase in plasma glucose following administration of a glucagon tolerance test is 1.39 ± 07 mmol/L, n = 78 (range 0,3.98 mmol/L). Conclusions An increase in plasma glucose of less than 4 mmol/L is considered abnormal in adults following administration of a fasting glucagon tolerance test. The responses of preterm infants and adults to glucagon are clearly different. The attenuated response to glucagon in the preterm infants is consistent with the low levels of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity in premature infants as glucose-6-phosphatase is the terminal step of the two main pathways of liver glucose production. [source]


Decreased hepatic RBP4 secretion is correlated with reduced hepatic glucose production but is not associated with insulin resistance in patients with liver cirrhosis

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Matthias J. Bahr
Summary Objective, Patients with liver cirrhosis have a high incidence of insulin resistance and diabetes. This study was designed to determine circulating levels and hepatic production of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) in relation to parameters of hepatic and systemic metabolism in patients with liver cirrhosis. Design and method, Circulating RBP4 levels were measured in 19 patients with liver cirrhosis at different clinical stages of the disease and in 20 age-, sex- and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. Hepatic production rates of RBP4 and glucose were assessed by measuring the arterial hepatic venous concentration difference together with hepatic blood flow. Insulin resistance was determined by the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry and body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Results, Compared with controls, RBP4 levels in cirrhosis were decreased (8·1 ± 1·8 vs. 22·6 ± 2·4 mg/l, P < 0·001) due to decreased hepatic production (P < 0·05). RBP4 correlated with hepatic protein synthesis capacity (P < 0·01), but not with insulin resistance, energy expenditure, BMI or body fat mass. Plasma RBP4 correlated with hepatic glucose production (P < 0·05). Conclusions, These data demonstrate that RBP4 in cirrhosis (i) is decreased due to reduced hepatic production, (ii) is not associated with insulin resistance, and (iii) might have a beneficial role by decreasing hepatic glucose production and could thus also be regarded as a hepatokine. [source]