In vivo insulin secretion and action in hyperglycemic rat

This work was designed to study the effects of insulin secretion and action in vivo of moderate hyperglycemia induced by glucose infusion during 4 days in unrestrained rats. The maintenance of a glycemia around 170 mg/dl throughout the infusion time necessitated a gradual increase of glucose infusion rate from 11.5 to 19 g/day. Throughout the infusion period, plasma insulin-to-glucose ratio remained much higher in hyperglycemic rats (HG) than in controls. Glucose tolerance and insulin secretion tests were performed 2 h after the end of the infusion, when glycemia and insulinemia were back to basal values. Incremental plasma glucose values were significantly lower in HG than in control rats without significant changes in incremental plasma insulin concentrations, suggesting an increased insulin efficiency. At the same insulin level, glucose utilization was higher in HG than in control rats during euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps. These data show that short-term hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia do not induce a defect in insulin secretion in vivo and do increase tissue sensitivity to insulin.