AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 270, Issue 6 E1015-E1021, Copyright © 1996 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-I on glucose turnover in rats

G. Van Dijk, S. Lindskog, J. J. Holst, A. B. Steffens and B. Ahren
Department of Animal Physiology, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands.

The influences of glucagon-like peptide-I-(7-36) amide (GLP-I; 15 mumol. kg-1.min-1) on glucose turnover were studied in freely moving Wistar rats. In fed rats, GLP-1 reduced plasma glucose (from 7.3 +/- 0.2 to 5.6 +/- 0.3 mmol/l; P = 0.017), increased plasma insulin (from 20 +/- 3 to 89 +/- 11 mU/l; P = 0.002), and reduced plasma glucagon (from 44 +/- 1 to 35 +/- 2 pg/ml; P = 0.009) and glucose appearance rate (Ra; from 3.9 +/- 0.2 to 1.7 +/- 0.7 micromol.min-1. 100 g-1 after 30 min; P = 0.049) without affecting glucose disappearance rate (Rd). The glucose clearance rate (MCR) was increased (P = 0.048). In 48-h-fasted rats, GLP-I reduced plasma glucose (from 5.0 +/- 0.2 to 4.4 +/- 0.3 mmol/l; P = 0.035) and increased plasma insulin (from 4 +/- 1 to 25 +/- 10 mU/l; P = 0.042) and plasma glucagon (from 43 +/- 3 to 61 +/- 7 pg/ml; P = 0.046). Ra and Rd were not significantly affected, although Ra was lower than Rd after 15-30 min (P = 0.005) and MCR was increased (P = 0.049). Thus GLP-I reduces Ra in fed rats and increases MCR in fed and fasted rats. The reduced Ra seems mediated by an increased insulin-to-glucagon ratio; the increased glucose clearance seems dependent on insulin and a peripheral effect of GLP-I.