Effect of age and diet on insulin secretion and insulin action in the rat

Inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase b: synthesis, biochemical screening, and molecular modeling studies of novel analogues of hydantocidin

The synthesis and biochemical screening of four novel spironucleosides 1-4 against rabbit liver glycogen phosphorylase b (Gpb), along with molecular modeling studies on compound 2 and its 4-hydroxy analogue VII, have been presented. Gpb is a key enzyme of glycogen metabolism, and is known to be involved in the control of diabetes mellitus. The general strategy for synthesis involved base-catalyzed condensation of diethyl 2,4-dioxoimidazolidine-5-phosphonate (5) with either 2-deoxy-D-ribose or D-ribose, followed by sequential reactions involving ring-closure with phenylselenenyl chloride and reduction with tri-n-butyltin hydride catalyzed by azobisisobutyronitrile. Compounds 2 and 4 were found to be weak competitive inhibitors of Gpb, whereas 1 and 3 were inactive.

Glucose-lowering effect of BTS 67 582

1. The hypoglycaemic effect of BTS 67 582 (1,1-dimethyl-2(2-morpholinophenyl) guanidine fumarate) was studied in normal rats. 2. BTS 67 582 (100 mg kg(-1), p.o.) acutely lowered basal plasma glucose concentrations: onset within 1 h, maximum decrease of >40% at 2-3 h, and partial return to euglycaemia by 5 h. Plasma insulin concentrations were increased: onset within 30 min, maximum increase 3 fold at 1-2 h; returning to normal by 5 h. 3. BTS 67 582 (100 mg kg(-1)) increased (by 56%) the rate of disappearance of plasma glucose during an intravenous glucose tolerance test, accompanied by a 51% increase in insulin concentrations. 4. During hyperglycaemic clamp studies BTS 67 582 (100 mg kg(-1)) increased glucose utilization 3 fold. This was associated with a 3 fold increase in insulin concentrations, even in the presence of adrenaline at a dosage which inhibits glucose-induced insulin release. 5. When the insulin-releasing effect of BTS 67 582 (100 mg kg(-1)) was inhibited by infusion of somatostatin, there was no effect on glycaemia. 6. Insulin-dependent diabetic BB/S rats, which do not produce endogenous insulin, showed no effect of BTS 67 582 (100 mg kg(-1)) on plasma glucose concentrations in the presence or absence of exogenous insulin. 7. The results demonstrate an acute hypoglycaemic effect of BTS 67 582 which appears to result mainly from its potent insulin-releasing action.

Some considerations for the development of diets for mature rodents used in long-term investigations

Nutritional requirements for mature rodents used in long-term investigations are virtually unknown. The limited knowledge of the dietary needs of mature rodents is due in part to overreliance on weanling animals fed an experimental diet for relatively short periods. Generalizations made from observations of weanling rodents are not appropriate for all ages. Dietary recommendations for rodents have been established, for the most part, by using the nutritional benchmark of maximal growth rate in animals fed ad libitum. Although this method provides valuable insight into the understanding of nutritional deficiency, it is less effective in determining nutrient requirements for mature animals used for the long term. The implication that maximal growth resulting from ad libitum feeding may not indicate the best dietary regimen in the long term is consistent with the observation that energy-restricted rodents live significantly longer and have lower incidence of disease that do their ad libitum-fed counterparts. These and other findings discussed in the review suggest that nutrient requirements established for young rodents may need re-evaluation to determine their applicability to the dietary recommendations for older animals used in long-term investigations.

Insulin receptor mRNA splicing and altered metabolic control in aged and mildly insulin-deficient rats

Using reverse transcription-competitive polymerase chain reaction, we measured the abundance of the mRNAs encoding the two spliced isoforms of insulin receptor in aged and mildly insulin-deficient rats. Twelve-month-old rats were characterized by peripheral insulin resistance and decreased glucose tolerance. Mild insulin deficiency, obtained by neonatal streptozotocin treatment, was associated with glucose intolerance due to reduced glucose-stimulated insulin response. Both models were associated with a decrease in the relative abundance of the mRNA with exon 11 in liver, heart, adipose tissue, and tibialis muscle, whereas a slight increase was seen in the extensor digitorum longus and no change in the soleus muscle. In the three muscles, the expression of the form without exon 11 largely predominated (>90%). In heart and adipose tissue, the two isoforms were expressed at a similar level in control rats. In both tissues, the form without exon 11 increased in streptozotocin-treated rats, whereas the absolute level of the form with exon 11 decreased in old rats. Although a decreased level of the variant with exon 11 correlated with insulin resistance of whole body glucose uptake, our results indicated that changes in the expression of the insulin receptor variants were secondary events and thus not the cause of the insulin resistance in old and mildly insulin-deficient rats.

Beyond the rodent model: Calorie restriction in rhesus monkeys

Lifespan extension and reduction of age-related disease by calorie restriction (CR) are among the most consistent findings in gerontological research. The well known effects of CR have been demonstrated many times in rodents and other short-lived species. However, effects of CR on aging in longer-lived species, more closely related to humans, were unknown until recently. Studies of CR and aging using nonhuman primates (rhesus monkeys) were begun several years ago at the National Institute on Aging, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Maryland. These studies are beginning to yield useful data regarding the effects of this nutritional intervention in primates. Several studies from these ongoing investigations have shown that rhesus monkeys on CR exhibit physiological responses to CR that parallel findings in rodents. In addition, several potential biomarkers of aging are being evaluated and preliminary findings suggest the possibility that CR in rhesus monkeys could slow the rate of aging and reduce age-related disease, specifically diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It will be several years before conclusive proof that CR slows aging and extends life span in primates is established, however, results from these exciting studies suggest the possibility that the anti-aging effects of CR reported in rodents also occur in longer-lived species such as nonhuman primates, strenghtening the possibility that this nutritional intervention will also prove beneficial in longer-lived species, including humans.

Effect of antihypertensive treatment with alacepril on insulin resistance in diabetic spontaneously hypertensive rats

Recent clinical reports have described the close relationship between insulin resistance and hypertension. Previous reports from our laboratory documented that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have mild insulin resistance, and that this insulin resistance is more intense in SHR with diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of antihypertensive treatment with alacepril on insulin resistance in these diabetic SHR. Animals were divided into four groups as follows: group A, nondiabetic SHR; group B, diabetic SHR group C, diabetic SHR treated with 0.05% alacepril; and group, D diabetic SHR treated with 0.1% alacepril. Diabetes was induced by intravenous (IV) injection of STZ (35 mg/kg bodyweight [BW]). Alacepril was given orally by mixing in laboratory chow. Mean (+/- SD) blood pressure was lowered in the alacepril-treated groups (A 212 +/- 7mm Hg and B 213 +/- 8 v C 184 +/- 6 and D 167 +/- 9; P < .01). Total integrated plasma glucose levels were different among all the groups by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (B 53.6 +/- 3.3 mmol/L > C47.2 +/- 4.5 > D 42.3 +/- 1.4 > A 34.2 +/- 1.2; P < .01). Steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG during the insulin suppression test was higher in group B than in group A (15.7 +/- 1.5 mmol/L v 10.4 +/- 0.8; P < .001). The SSPG level (12.9 +/- 0.7) was significantly (P < .001) lower in group D than in untreated group B. In the diabetic groups, blood pressure was positively correlated with integrated plasma glucose (PG) (r = .79, P < .001), SSPG (r = .53, P < .02), and plasma triglyceride (r = .70, P < .001), and negatively with high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (r = -.74, P < .001). Alacepril treatment not only dose-relatedly lowered mean blood pressure, but also dose-relatedly improved abnormalities in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in STZ-induced diabetic SHR. These results suggest that an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, alacepril, has an antihypertensive effect, but also improves insulin resistance in hypertension with diabetes mellitus.

The mechanisms of the improvement of insulin sensitivity by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor

To investigate the role of kinins in augmentation of insulin sensitivity by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), the effects of ACEI (delapril) on the insulin resistance in fructose-fed rats (FFR) were evaluated with or without the administration of bradykinin receptor antagonist (Hoe 140). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on fructose rich chow (FFR) or standard chow (control) for 4 weeks and treated with 10 mg/kg/day of delapril with or without Hoe 140 (0.5 mg/kg/day) for an additional 2 weeks. Steady state plasma glucose (SSPG) and steady state plasma insulin (SSPI) were determined while the rats were conscious. Insulin (2.5 mU/kg/min) and glucose (8 mg/kg/min) were simultaneously infused to determine insulin sensitivity in each group. Mean blood pressure (MBP), SSPG and SSPI were significantly higher in FFR than in control, and were significantly lower in the FFR+delapril than in FFR+vehicle. There were no difference in MBP, SSPG and SSPI between FFR+delapril+vehicle and FFR+delapril+Hoe 140. We concluded that the main mechanisms of improving the insulin sensitivity by ACEI may not be the enhancement of kinins but the suppression of angiotensin II in FFR.

Diet restriction in rhesus monkeys lowers fasting and glucose-stimulated glucoregulatory end points

Male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) of different age groups representing the species life span were fed ad libitum or a 30% reduced calorie diet over a 7-yr period. During the first 2-3 yr of this longitudinal study, glucose and insulin levels were not altered by diet restriction (DR). However, reductions in fasting blood glucose became apparent in DR animals after 3-4 yr. At the end of the 6th yr of study, glycated hemoglobin was measured, and intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTTs) were conducted. Maximum glucose levels reached during IVGTTs increased with age but were lower in DR animals compared with controls. Several measures of the insulin response (baseline, maximum, and integrated areas under curve) increased with age and were lower in DR monkeys. With the exception of glycated hemoglobin, which was not different in monkeys subjected to DR, these findings confirm previous studies in rodents demonstrating that DR alters glucose metabolism and may be related to the antiaging action of this intervention.

Is caloric restriction effective in preventing diabetes mellitus in the Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima fatty rat, a model of spontaneous non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus?

Studies were made on the effectiveness of caloric restriction in preventing the development of diabetes mellitus in a model rat (Otsuka-Long-Evans-Tokushima Fatty; OLETF) with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Groups of 8 male OLETF rats aged 5 weeks were supplied with rat chow ad libitum (100% group) and 85% and 70% of the amount of food consumed by the 100% group (85% and 70% groups, respectively). The average weights of the 100%, 85% and 70% groups were 617, 536 and 450 g at 19 weeks of age and their abdominal fat deposits were 50, 38 and 21 g, respectively, at 22 weeks of age when they were killed. At 20 weeks of age, the cumulative incidences of diabetes mellitus in the 100%, 85% and 70% groups were 67%, 13% and zero, respectively. The plasma immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels 60 and 120 min after oral glucose administration were significantly lower in the 70% group than in the other groups. In vivo insulin-stimulated glucose uptake measured by a euglycemic clamp technique, was significantly higher in the 70% group than in the 100% group. There was no significant difference in the glucose transporter 4 protein levels of skeletal muscles in the three groups, but the highest ratio of glucose transporter 4 in the plasma membrane to that in intracellular membranes was observed in the 70% group. Morphological studies on the pancreas of rats in the 100% group showed enlarged multilobulated fibrotic islets, whereas sections of islets of rats in the other groups appeared normal, though slightly enlarged. These results demonstrate that caloric restriction is effective in preventing NIDDM in diabetes-prone rats, probably due to increased insulin sensitivity.

S15261, a new compound for the treatment of the insulin resistance syndrome

A new oral agent, S15261 (the L-isomer of 3-[2-[2-[4-[2-[alpha-fluorenyl acetyl amino ethyl] benzoyloxy] ethyl amino] 1-methoxy ethyl] trifluoromethyl-benzene), has been developed for the treatment of the so-called "insulin resistance syndrome". In obese, insulin-resistant ageing Sprague-Dawley rats, chronic treatment with S15261 (0.5-2.5 mg.kg-1.day-1 twice per day, for 14 days) resulted in dose-dependent decreases in plasma insulin (43%), and triglyceride levels (36%), and in an increase of the glucose disposal rate during an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) (48.5%). An increase in peripheral insulin sensitivity produced by S15261 was revealed by the glucose clamp technique. Thus, the glucose infusion rate was increased by 20% whilst steady-state insulin levels decreased by 15%. At the higher doses S15261 led to a decrease in body weight (3%), plasma glucose (13%) and blood pressure (8 mm Hg) in mildly hypertensive animals. At the doses used to achieve these results, the compound has no hypoglycaemic activity in normoglycaemic animals. Acute administration of S15261 directly into the portal vein provoked a marked increase in glucose disappearance rate during an intravenous glucose tolerance test (60%) and also in the pancreatic response to the glucose challenge. Thus, acute administration of the compound has a direct effect on glucose metabolism. These data suggest that S15261 could be a useful agent for the treatment of the insulin resistance syndrome.

Importance of the intestine as a site of metformin-stimulated glucose utilization

1. The intestine has been implicated as a site of increased glucose utilization by the antihyperglycaemic drug, metformin. This study makes a quantitative assessment of this effect. 2. Glucose utilization by the intestine and hind limb region was determined by arterial-venous glucose difference adjusted for blood flow rate in fasted rats receiving a hyperglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic infusion. 3. Intrajejunal administration of metformin, 250 mg kg-1, increased glucose disposal during the infusion procedure, associated with increased glucose utilization in the intestine by 69% and in the hind limb region by 40%. 4. Metformin, 250 mg kg-1, increased glucose disappearance during an intravenous glucose tolerance test. This was accompanied by increased uptake of tritiated 2-deoxy-D-glucose into the intestinal mucosa to a greater extent than into skeletal muscles (per unit wet weight of tissue). 5. The results demonstrate that the intestinal mucosa is a quantitatively important site of increased glucose utilization during the blood glucose-lowering effect of metformin.

Glucose transport with brief dietary restriction: heterogenous responses in muscles

The time course (1, 5, or 20 days) for the effect of dietary restriction (DR; approximately 25% reduction below ad libitum intake) on epitrochlearis and flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle glucose transport activity was studied in female Fischer 344 rats (8 mo old). Epitrochlearis glucose transport activity with 100 microU/ml insulin was increased by 38% after 5 days of DR (P < 0.05) despite no change in glucose transport activity with 0 or 20,000 microU/ml insulin. The increase with 100 microU/ml insulin was not further enhanced by 20 days of DR. DR did not result in a significant increase in the glucose transport activity of the FDB with 0, 100, or 20,000 microU/ml insulin. Abdominal fat content was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced below ad libitum levels only after 20 days of DR. These results demonstrate that DR-induced improvement in epitrochlearis glucose transport activity with a physiological insulin concentration can occur very rapidly, preceding detectable changes in basal or maximal insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity or abdominal fat pad mass, and the enhancement of insulin action does not occur simultaneously in all muscles.

Dietary restriction increases insulin sensitivity and lowers blood glucose in rhesus monkeys

Insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance typically decline during later life. In a multidimensional randomized trial of the effects of dietary restriction started in adulthood on the processes of aging, we are studying insulin sensitivity and glucoregulation longitudinally in control (C, n = 15, fed a defined diet ad libitum for 6-8 h/day) and restricted (R, n = 15, fed 30% less than C) monkeys using the Modified Minimal Model method. Linear rates of change were calculated for individual animals through 30 mo of diet treatment and compared between treatment groups. Basal glucose, basal insulin, and insulin responses to glucose and tolbutamide increased for C and decreased for R animals (P < or = 0.002), whereas insulin sensitivity decreased for C and increased for R (P = 0.008). Glycosylated hemoglobin at 30 mo was marginally lower in R (P = 0.06) and was positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose (r = 0.508, P < 0.001). Insulin changes were significantly correlated with changes in adiposity (weight and abdominal circumference). Identification of the mechanisms through which these effects are achieved may aid in ameliorating glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and associated illnesses in older persons.

Serum glucose, glucose tolerance, corticosterone and free fatty acids during aging in energy restricted mice

Energy restriction, the only method known to increase maximum life span in laboratory animals, was used as a tool to test hypotheses regarding possible mechanisms of aging. Serum glucose and corticosterone (CS) concentrations in mice of a long-lived hybrid mouse strain, aged 7, 17, and 29 months, and on 50%, 80%, and 100% of ad libitum intake, were measured. Serum glucose and CS concentrations were also measured in response to intraperitoneal (i.p.) glucose challenge in mice at ages 7 and 29 months. Serum glucose and CS concentrations were also measured at several time points over 36 h, to assess their diurnal variation. There were no differences in single fasting glucose concentrations in 7- and 29-month-old mice at the same degree of energy restriction, but energy restriction decreased glucose concentrations. Serum CS concentrations were generally increased restricted animals with respect to fully fed ones. Average serum glucose concentrations were found to be significantly decreased by dietary restriction. Glucose tolerance curves were unchanged by age in ad libitum fed or 50% restricted animals, but in 80% ad libitum groups, older animals showed evidence of decreased glucose tolerance with respect to young animals. For each age, peak serum glucose concentrations after i.p. glucose loading varied with degree of energy restriction, with more severely restricted animals showing less glucose tolerance. Average serum CS concentrations were elevated at 7 months by restriction, especially at night and long after feeding, but we found no differences with age or diet in average CS concentrations. Our serum glucose results support the hypothesis that nonenzymatic glycation is mechanistically involved in normal aging. Our serum CS results do not support the hypothesis that CS contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of normal aging in mice.

Insulin resistance and hypertension: glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and elevated free fatty acids in the lean spontaneously hypertensive rat

Recent evidence suggests that insulin resistance may be a feature of essential hypertension in humans. However, there is some dispute over suitable animal models. To clarify these issues, we performed oral glucose tolerance tests in lean spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) as well as in age-matched normotensive rats from the parent Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) strain. In response to feeding, SHR were significantly hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemic compared to WKY. In addition, free fatty acids were significantly higher throughout the oral glucose tolerance tests in SHR compared to WKY. Furthermore, this apparent insulin resistance occurred despite the fact that SHR were significantly leaner than age-matched WKY. When growth curves were compared for the two strains fed ad libitum, both SHR and WKY gained weight appropriately during the period of observation, although SHR were significantly lighter throughout. It is concluded that SHR express insulin resistance in terms of glucose and fatty acid metabolism, and therefore are a suitable model for insulin resistance and essential hypertension in non-obese humans. Further studies are needed to clarify the pathophysiologic defects leading to insulin resistance in these animals.

Glucose transporters and glucose transport in skeletal muscles of 1- to 25-mo-old rats

It is widely thought that aging results in development of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. In this study, we examined the effects of growth and aging on the concentration of the GLUT-4 glucose transporter and on glucose transport activity in skeletal muscles of female Long-Evans rats. Relative amounts of immunoreactive GLUT-4 protein were measured in muscle homogenates of 1-, 10-, and 25-mo-old rats by immunoblotting with a polyclonal antibody directed against GLUT-4. In the epitrochlearis, plantaris, and the red and white regions of the quadriceps muscles, GLUT-4 immunoreactivity decreased by 14-33% between 1 and 10 mo of age and thereafter remained constant. In flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) and soleus muscles, GLUT-4 concentration was similar at all three ages studied. Glucose transport activity was assessed in epitrochlearis and FDB muscles by incubation with 2-deoxyglucose under the following conditions: basal, submaximal insulin, and either maximal insulin or maximal insulin combined with contractile activity. Glucose transport in the epitrochlearis muscle decreased by approximately 60% between 1 and 4 mo of age and then did not decline further between 4 and 25 mo of age. Transport activity in the FDB assessed with a maximally effective insulin concentration decreased only slightly (< 20%) between 1 and 7 mo of age. Aging, i.e., the transition from young adulthood to old age, was not associated with a decrease in glucose transport activity in either the epitrochlearis or the FDB.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of wheel running on glucose transporter (GLUT4) concentration in skeletal muscle of young adult and old rats

We examined the effects of voluntary exercise on glucose transporter concentration in skeletal muscle from young adult and old female Long-Evans rats. Rats had free access to voluntary running wheels beginning at 4 months of age or remained sedentary. Exercising rats ran approximately 7.5, 6.2, 5.6 and 5.3 km/day during their 6th, 8th, 9th and 10th month of age, respectively. During the 23rd, 24th and 25th month of age running distance averaged 3.0, 2.8 and 2.4 km/day, respectively. At 10 and 25 months of age, glucose transporter protein concentration was assessed in epitrochlearis and flexor digitorum brevis muscles with a polyclonal antibody directed against the GLUT4 transporter isoform. GLUT4 protein concentration was not altered by the aging process (i.e., comparing 10- and 25-month-old rats) in either muscle type. Wheel running increased GLUT4 protein concentration by 45% in epitrochlearis muscles of 10-month-old rats relative to age-matched sedentary controls. The training-induced adaptation in GLUT4 protein was no longer present at age 25 months, probably because the running distance had declined by 50%. In the flexor digitorum brevis, exercise did not alter GLUT4 concentration at either 10 or 25 months, presumably due to insufficient recruitment of this muscle during wheel running as assessed by measurement of citrate synthase and hexokinase enzyme activities. Wheel running induced cardiac and soleus muscle hypertrophy in 10- and 25-month-old rats. In summary, voluntary wheel running can induce an increase in skeletal muscle GLUT4 protein concentration in adult rats. Older rats that run less exhibit cardiac and soleus muscle hypertrophy, but do not maintain an elevated GLUT4 protein concentration in the epitrochlearis muscle. Aging does not alter GLUT4 protein concentration in the epitrochlearis or FDB muscles.

Effect of a restricted diet on the in vitro glucose-induced insulin release of aging rats

To study the effect of a sudden loss of body weight on the beta-cell function of aging rats, basal and glucose-induced insulin secretion was measured in pancreatic islets obtained from young (2-month-old), adult (12-month-old) and aging (24-month-old) rats, either fed ad libitum or fed a restricted diet (50% caloric restriction). Basal insulin secretion was similar in islets of young, adult and older rats. Glucose stimulated insulin release was significantly reduced in aging rats as compared to young animals. Animals fed a restricted diet showed a prolonged and higher secretory rate during first phase release when compared to animals fed ad libitum.

Ageing, exercise and food restriction: effects on skeletal muscle glucose uptake

We investigated the effects of ageing, exercise and food restriction on glucose uptake by muscles perfused with physiological concentrations of insulin and glucose in male Long-Evans rats. The rate of glucose uptake by hindlimb muscles perfused with medium containing 50 microU@ml insulin and 8 mM glucose was the same in 9-10 month-, 18 month-, and 24-month-old rats. Rats exercised by means of swimming 3 h/day, 5 days/week, had significantly higher rates of muscle glucose uptake than did the sedentary freely eating rats. Paired-weight sedentary rats, that were food restricted so as to keep their weights in the same range as those of the swimmers, had a hindlimb glucose uptake rate similar to that of the swimmers, and greater than that of the sedentary freely eating rats. The 24-month-old sedentary freely eating rats showed a trend toward a higher plasma glucose response and a lower plasma insulin response to a glucose tolerance test. The 24-month-old swimmers showed no deterioration in glucose tolerance compared to the 9-10 month-old rats. Our findings argue against the concept that ageing results in skeletal muscle insulin resistance in rats.

Glucose intolerance in the elderly: an open debate

The presence of glucose intolerance in aged people is a well known physio-pathological condition. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which it takes place are still unclear. In the present report we have reviewed the possible mechanisms (impaired insulin secretion and action, role of the environmental factors) which may contribute to the impaired glucose handling of aging. Moreover, we have also pointed out that not all aged subjects are glucose intolerant; in fact it seems clear that only aged subjects who present more than one of the pathological findings reported above may develop impaired glucose handling.

Effect of age on glucose tolerance and glucose uptake in healthy individuals

Plasma glucose and insulin responses and basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake were determined in 24 non-obese, healthy, physically active individuals, divided into two groups on the basis of age. The mean (+/- SEM) age of the younger group was 33 +/- 3 years, in contrast to an age of 64 +/- 2 years for the older group. Plasma glucose concentrations were significantly higher (two-way ANOVA, P less than .001) for three hours after a 75 g oral glucose challenge in the older group, as was the plasma insulin response (two-way ANOVA, P less than .001). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between age and total plasma glucose (r = 0.63, P less than .001) and insulin (r = 0.44, P less than .01) during the glucose tolerance test. However, the magnitude of the decrease in glucose tolerance with age was relatively modest. For example, total plasma glucose response was only 11% higher in the older group, and the plasma glucose concentration 120 minutes after the oral glucose load only increased approximately 2 mg/dL per decade. Glucose uptake during euglycemic clamp studies was also reduced in the older group, and this was true if the clamps were performed at plasma insulin concentration of approximately 10 microU/mL (P less than .05) or 60 microU/mL (P less than .10). However the differences were relatively modest in magnitude, ie, 10-25%. The fact that the increase in glucose uptake when plasma insulin was raised six-fold was similar in both groups suggests that insulin sensitivity does not decline with age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of aging on the responsiveness and sensitivity of glucose metabolism to insulin in the incubated soleus muscle isolated from Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats

1. The effects of aging on the sensitivity and responsiveness of glucose transport, lactate formation and glycogen synthesis to insulin were studied in the incubated stripped soleus muscle isolated from aging Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats. 2. As Sprague-Dawley rats aged from 5 to 13 weeks, there were marked increases in the concentrations of insulin that were required for half-maximal stimulation (i.e. EC50 value, which is a measure of sensitivity) of glucose transport, lactate formation and glycogen synthesis. 3. In marked contrast, there were no alterations in sensitivities of any of these processes to insulin in soleus muscle prepared from Wistar rats aged between 6 and 12 weeks. 4. However, in soleus muscles from 85-week-old Wistar rats the rates of glycogen synthesis in response to basal, sub-maximal and maximal concentrations of insulin were markedly decreased. The insulin EC50 value of glycogen synthesis was increased 4-fold, but was unchanged for lactate formation. 5. The insulin-stimulated rates of glucose transport in soleus muscles from 5- or 85-week-old Wistar rats were not significantly different.

Attenuation of fructose-induced hypertension in rats by exercise training

This study was initiated to see if the insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertension that follow feeding normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats a fructose-rich diet could be prevented by letting rats run spontaneously in exercise wheel cages. Blood pressure in sedentary rats increased from (mean +/- SEM) 125 +/- 2 to 148 +/- 3 mm Hg in response to 2 weeks of a high fructose diet, and this increment was significantly (p less than 0.001) attenuated in exercising rats (from 121 +/- 1 to 131 +/- 2 mm Hg). In addition, mean (+/- SEM) plasma insulin concentration was lower in fructose-fed rats allowed to run spontaneously (44 +/- 2 vs 62 +/- 5 microU/ml; p less than 0.01). Finally, resistance to insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was assessed by determining the steady state plasma glucose response to a continuous glucose and exogenous insulin infusion during a period in which endogenous insulin secretion was suppressed. The results of these studies indicated that the mean (+/- SEM) steady state plasma glucose concentration was significantly lower in the exercise-trained rats (127 +/- 5 vs 168 +/- 6 mg/dl; p less than 0.001), despite the fact that the steady state plasma insulin levels were also lower in rats allowed to run spontaneously (75 +/- 4 vs 90 +/- 5 microU/ml; p less than 0.05). Thus, the ability of exercise-trained rats to stimulate glucose disposal was enhanced as compared with that of sedentary rats fed the same fructose-rich diet. These data demonstrate that the insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertension produced in normotensive rats by feeding them a high fructose diet can be attenuated if rats are allowed to run spontaneously.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of age on metabolic responses to acute and chronic stress

The effect of age on the capacity of an organism to mobilize glucose and free fatty acids during stress and to adapt these responses from an acute to a chronic stress situation is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine whether aging impaired the capacity to 1) raise glucose and free fatty acid levels and suppress insulin release in acute stress situations and 2) develop adaptation of these responses to exposure to chronic stress. Our results indicate that 6-mo-old rats (young) trained to escape electric shock (short-term modulation) showed greater acute stress-induced hyperglycemic, hypoinsulinemic, and lipolytic responses than untrained young rats. By contrast, in 22-mo-old rats (old), responses of trained and untrained animals were not different. In the chronic stress (long-term adaptation) experiments, it was found that 1) adaptation of stress-induced hyperglycemia occurred at a faster rate in young than in old animals; 2) in young but not in aged rats, a strong positive correlation was observed between adaptation of stress-induced hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia; and 3) in young rats, stress-induced lipolytic responses declined proportionately to the duration of chronic stress exposure, whereas by contrast in chronically stressed aged rats steady-state levels of free fatty acids were not raised during exposure to stress. Thus we conclude that 1) glucose intolerance may play a key role in the altered stress-induced metabolic responses of aged rats; 2) with age, there is a loss of plasticity in physiological adaptive response mechanisms associated with metabolic responses to stress.

Effects of aging on insulin synthesis and secretion. Differential effects on preproinsulin messenger RNA levels, proinsulin biosynthesis, and secretion of newly made and preformed insulin in the rat

Aging in men and rodents is associated with a marked decline in glucose stimulated insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells (B cells). Secreted insulin is the end result of a series of steps along the biosynthetic protein-secretion pathway, including insulin gene transcription, processing of transcripts to preproinsulin mRNA, translation of mRNA, segregation and processing of newly made proinsulin in secretory vesicles, proinsulin to insulin conversion, transport of vesicles to the plasma membrane, and exocytosis. We have examined the influence of age at three stages along this pathway: preproinsulin mRNA levels, proinsulin synthesis, and secretion of newly made and preformed insulin, using Fischer rats, a widely studied rodent model of aging. Pancreatic weights and total insulin contents, islet sizes, and mean insulin content per islet were the same in young adult (4-5 mo) and senescent (21-22 mo) animals. There was no effect of age on preproinsulin mRNA levels in whole pancreata of fed animals, or in isolated islets cultured for 16 h in 5.5 mM glucose. Proinsulin biosynthesis and the secretion of newly made insulin were compared in isolated islets preincubated in 5.5 mM glucose. After a pulse label at 16.7 mM glucose, proinsulin synthesis, assayed by immunoprecipitation, was decreased 16% in 7 mo islets and 39% in 21-22 mo islets, compared with 4-5 mo islets, though total protein synthesis was not reduced. When chased at 2.8 mM glucose, 4-5 month and 21-22 mo islets showed no difference in release of preformed or newly made insulin. When chased at 16.7 mM glucose, there was a significant decrease in the secretion of newly made insulin in the old islets compared with the young islets. There was preferential release of newly made insulin over preformed insulin in both young and old islets. However, since secretion of preformed insulin was decreased much more than secretion of newly made insulin in senescent islets, these displayed a two- to threefold increase in the proportion of newly made insulin relative to total immunoreactive insulin released compared with young adult islets. The differential effects of aging on these steps in the insulin synthesis-secretion pathway may be due to varying impairments in signals transducing the glucose stimulus into the wide range of B cell responses to glucose.

Evidence of a defect in insulin-receptor recycling in adipocytes from older rats

Although insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is known to be decreased in adipocytes isolated from old obese rats, the cause of this defect is not totally understood. In the present study, we examined the possibility that insulin resistance is associated with defects in the intracellular processing of the insulin-receptor complex. Adipocytes were isolated from control (2-mo-old rats) and obese, insulin-resistant rats (12-mo-old rats), and the following measurements were made: 1) insulin-stimulated glucose uptake; 2) insulin binding; 3) insulin-receptor internalization and recycling; 4) accumulation of insulin within the cell; and 5) rate of loss of insulin from the cell. The results indicated that maximal insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was significantly reduced in adipocytes from obese, insulin-resistant rats (increase over basal value was 500 +/- 53% in obese rats and 1,200 +/- 96 in control rats, P less than 0.01). 125I-insulin (A14) binding (cell-associated radioactivity) and the internalization of the hormone-receptor complex were not different in the two groups of animals studied. In contrast, insulin-receptor recycling was significantly decreased in adipocytes from obese rats (72.0 +/- 6.1 vs. 93.6 +/- 2.6%, P less than 0.01). In addition, loss of intracellular radioactivity was significantly prolonged in insulin-resistant rats (t1/2 = 12.05 +/- 0.9 vs. 9.4 +/- 0.3 min, P less than 0.05). Thus adipocytes isolated from the older rats were resistant to the insulin effect on glucose uptake, and this defect was not associated with a reduction in insulin binding. However, there was a decrease in insulin receptor recycling, and this phenomenon may be related to the insulin resistance present in these cells.

Fructose-induced insulin resistance and hypertension in rats

To determine if hypertension could be produced in normal rats by feeding them a fructose-enriched diet, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either normal chow or a diet containing 66% fructose as a percentage of total calories for approximately 2 weeks. At the end of this period systolic blood pressure had increased from 124 +/- 2 to 145 +/- 2 (SEM) mm Hg in the fructose-fed rats, whereas no change occurred in the control group. In addition, hyperinsulinemia and hypertriglyceridemia were associated with hypertension in fructose-fed rats. The addition of clonidine to the drinking water inhibited fructose-induced hypertension, but not the increase in plasma insulin or triglyceride concentration seen in fructose-fed rats. Thus, the metabolic changes associated with fructose-induced hypertension are unlikely to be secondary to an increase in sympathetic activity. Whether or not this is also true of the hypertension remains to be clarified.

Effects of age on glycogen synthase and phosphorylase activities in rat liver

The activities of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase were determined in homogenates and subcellular fractions of liver from young adult (6 months' old), adult (12 months' old) and aged (24 months' old) rats. The specific activities (enzyme activity expressed as units per mg protein) of the active form of glycogen synthase (synthase a) as well as of total synthase (synthase a + b) were significantly lower in liver homogenates of aged compared to young adult or adult rats. The age-associated decrease in the specific activity of synthase a was most marked in the 10 000 g and 100 000 g particulate fractions of liver. The specific activities of the active form of phosphorylase (phosphorylase a) as well as of total phosphorylase (phosphorylase a + b) were also significantly lower in liver homogenates of aged compared to young adult or adult animals. The age-related decrease in the specific activity of phosphorylase a was most pronounced in the 10 000 g particulate fraction of liver. Analysis of the specific activity ratios of glycogen synthase a/glycogen synthase a + b indicated a disproportionately greater age-related decrement in the active form of this enzyme. No such age-related difference was evident in the specific activity ratios of phosphorylase a/phosphorylase a + b. The age-associated decrease in the activities of glycogen synthase (a or a + b) and phosphorylase (a or a + b) was also discernible when the enzyme activities were expressed as units per g liver; this decrement in enzyme activity was reflected in all subcellular fractions examined. The levels of plasma insulin, plasma glucose and liver glycogen were not significantly different in rats of the three age groups used in these studies. The reduced activities of liver glycogen synthase and phosphorylase in aged rats is indicative of a likely diminution in the turnover of glycogen in liver during aging. Such an age-associated deficit in liver glycogen metabolism may contribute, at least in part, to the generally observed glucose intolerance upon aging.

Glucose-induced insulin secretion by perfused pancreas of 2- and 12-mo-old Fischer 344 rats

Previous studies have shown that cells from older Sprague-Dawley rats secrete insulin less efficiently in response to a maximal glucose challenge than do beta-cells from young animals. In the current study we have asked whether this change in beta-cell response occurs in another strain of rat, and, if so, whether the secretory defect occurs at submaximal as well as maximal glucose stimulatory levels. Pancreas perfusions were carried out on 2- and 12-mo-old Fischer 344 rats at perfusate glucose concentrations of 150 and 300 mg/dl. The secretory data for each pancreas was subsequently corrected for differences in islet cell mass and expressed as insulin secretion per unit islet cell. The results show that 12-mo-old Fischer rats release more insulin per total pancreas than do 2-mo-old animals at both glucose concentrations. However when corrected for islet cell mass, the amount of insulin secretion per islet cell is actually reduced in the older Fischer rat. These data are comparable to those seen previously in the 12-mo-old Sprague-Dawley rat and indicate that the insulin secretory defect seen as rats grow older is not species specific.

An in vivo analysis of pancreatic protein and insulin biosynthesis in a rat model for non-insulin-dependent diabetes

The purpose of these experiments was to estimate insulin biosynthesis in vivo in a rat model for non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Insulin biosynthesis rates were determined in 4-wk-old animals that had been injected with 90 mg/kg of streptozotocin 2 d postpartum. Control and diabetic animals did not differ in body weight or fasting plasma glucose. Fed plasma glucose was significantly elevated (186 +/- 13 micrograms/dl vs. 139 +/- 7 mg/dl, P less than 0.05) and pancreatic insulin content was reduced (41 +/- 2 micrograms/g vs. 63 +/- 8 micrograms/g, P less than 0.05) in the diabetic rats. Insulin biosynthesis was estimated in vivo by measuring and comparing [3H]leucine incorporation into proinsulin with that into total pancreatic protein 45 min after injection. Insulin biosynthesis was 0.391 +/- 0.07% of pancreas protein synthesized in control rats and 0.188 +/- 0.015% (P less than 0.05) in diabetic rats. In animals of the same age, the fractional and absolute rate of pancreatic protein synthesis were determined. Total pancreatic protein synthesis was not reduced in streptozotocin treated animals (185.5 +/- 14.1%/d vs. 158.6 +/- 14.9%/d, NS) but was markedly reduced in control rats after a 48-h fast (to 70.8 +/- 5.5%/d, P less than 0.01). Because total pancreatic protein synthesis was not decreased in the diabetic rats, the decrease in the fraction of radiolabel incorporated into insulin seems to represent an absolute decrease in the rate of insulin biosynthesis in this animal model for diabetes. Through RNA blot hybridization with 32P-labeled cloned rat insulin complementary DNA, proinsulin messenger RNA (mRNA) was estimated as the rate of insulin biosynthesis in control and diabetic animals. There was a 61% reduction in proinsulin mRNA at 4 wk and an 85% reduction at 7 wk (P less than 0.001) in the diabetic animals. After streptozotocin injection in neonatal rats, there is marked beta-cell damage and hyperglycemia. Beta-cell regeneration occurs with return to normoglycemia, but with age hyperglycemia develops. The reduction in insulin synthesis and proinsulin mRNA seemed disproportionate with the more modest reduction in beta-cell number. The importance of these observations is that, in this animal model, diabetes is associated with a limited ability to regenerate beta-cell mass and to synthesize insulin. The relationship between the defect in glucose-stimulated insulin release and impaired insulin biosynthesis has yet to be determined.

Insulin resistance in older rats

Insulin-stimulated glucose utilization was estimated in vivo in 1.5-, 4-, and 12-mo-old rats with an insulin suppression test wherein the height of the steady-state plasma glucose ( SSPG ) concentration, at similar steady-state plasma insulin levels, provides a direct reflection of the efficiency of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. In parallel studies, the effect of age on in vitro insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was assessed in perfused hindlimb preparations. In addition, changes in the activity of enzymes that regulate muscle glycolysis, glycogenesis, and glycogenolysis were determined in isolated soleus muscle. The results indicated that rats got heavier as they became older, and changes in weight were associated with parallel increases in mean (+/- SE) SSPG concentrations as rats grew from 1.5 (56 +/- 3 mg/dl) to 4 (172 +/- 6 mg/dl) to 12 mo of age (194 +/- 8 mg/dl). The age-related decline in in vivo insulin action was associated with a reduction in insulin action on muscle, and maximal insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by perfused hindlimbs of 12-mo-old rats was approximately 50% of the value seen with perfused hindlimbs from 1.5-mo-old rats. Soleus muscle enzyme activity also varied with age, with significant increases in glycogen synthase and decreases in glycogen phosphorylase documented. Furthermore, muscle glycogen phosphorylase activity, which fell during an insulin infusion in 1.5-mo-old rats, did not change when 12-mo-old rats were infused at comparable insulin levels. Finally, glycogen content was significantly increased (P less than 0.01) in soleus muscle from 12-mo-old rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)