An anomalous postprandial increase in erythrocyte insulin receptor affinity associated with hyperinsulinemia

Whereas the expected decrease in the binding of 125I-insulin to erythrocytes 4.5 h after a standard mixed breakfast was seen in six young nonobese normoglycemic controls (delta % bound/free = 2.0 +/- 0.5 SEM), 10 obese hyperglycemic subjects showed an increase (0.54 +/- 0.43) and eight obese normoglycemic subjects of similar age and weight, no change in binding (0 +/- 0.31), both being significantly different from the controls (p less than 0.05) but not from each other. Of the total 18 obese subjects, the 11 with fasting hyperinsulinemia (23 +/- 1.4 mU/l) showed an increase in binding of 0.82 +/- 0.40, significantly different (p less than 0.05) from the decrease of 0.30 +/- 0.25 shown by the seven normoinsulinemic (11 +/- 1.4 mU/l) subjects, despite their similar age, weight, and blood glucose concentrations. These changes in binding were explained by alterations in receptor affinity. Thus, an anomalous postprandial increase in erythrocyte insulin receptor affinity occurs in some obese subjects with or without diabetes, and is related to hyperinsulinemia rather than hyperglycemia.