Eugenio Cersosimo

Insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction: the road map to cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease affects approximately 60% of the adult population over the age of 65 and represents the number one cause of death in the United States. Coronary atherosclerosis is responsible for the vast majority of the cardiovascular events, and a number of cardiovascular risk factors have been identified. In recent years, it has become clear that insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction play a central role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Much evidence supports the presence of insulin resistance as the fundamental pathophysiologic disturbance responsible for the cluster of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, known collectively as the metabolic syndrome. Endothelial dysfunction is an important component of the metabolic or insulin resistance syndrome and this is demonstrated by inadequate vasodilation and/or paradoxical vasoconstriction in coronary and peripheral arteries in response to stimuli that release nitric oxide (NO). Deficiency of endothelial‐derived NO is believed to be the primary defect that links insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction. NO deficiency results from decreased synthesis and/or release, in combination with exaggerated consumption in tissues by high levels of reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species, which are produced by cellular disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism.

Elevated Toll-Like Receptor 4 Expression and Signaling in Muscle From Insulin-Resistant Subjects

OBJECTIVE— Tall-like receptor (TLR)4 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of free fatty acid (FFA)-induced insulin resistance by activating inflammatory pathways, including inhibitor of κB (IκB)/nuclear factor κB (NFκB). However, it is not known whether insulin-resistant subjects have abnormal TLR4 signaling. We examined whether insulin-resistant subjects have abnormal TLR4 expression and TLR4-driven (IκB/NFκB) signaling in skeletal muscle. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— TLR4 gene expression and protein content were measured in muscle biopsies in 7 lean, 8 obese, and 14 type 2 diabetic subjects. A primary human myotube culture system was used to examine whether FFAs stimulate IκB/NFκB via TLR4 and whether FFAs increase TLR4 expression/content in muscle. RESULTS— Obese and type 2 diabetic subjects had significantly elevated TLR4 gene expression and protein content in muscle. TLR4 muscle protein content correlated with the severity of insulin resistance. Obese and type 2 diabetic subjects also had lower IκBα content, an indication of elevated IκB/NFκB signaling. The increase in TLR4 and NFκB signaling was accompanied by elevated expression of the NFκB-regulated genes interleukin (IL)-6 and superoxide dismutase (SOD)2. In primary human myotubes, acute palmitate treatment stimulated IκB/NFκB, and blockade of TLR4 prevented the ability of palmitate to stimulate the IκB/NFκB pathway. Increased TLR4 content and gene expression observed in muscle from insulin-resistant subjects were reproduced by treating myotubes from lean, normal-glucose-tolerant subjects with palmitate. Palmitate also increased IL-6 and SOD2 gene expression, and this effect was prevented by inhibiting NFκB. CONCLUSIONS— Abnormal TLR4 expression and signaling, possibly caused by elevated plasma FFA levels, may contribute to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in humans.

Effect of acute exercise on AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle of subjects with type 2 diabetes: a time-course and dose-response study.

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by exercise induces several cellular processes in muscle. Exercise activation of AMPK is unaffected in lean (BMI ∼25 kg/m2) subjects with type 2 diabetes. However, most type 2 diabetic subjects are obese (BMI >30 kg/m2), and exercise stimulation of AMPK is blunted in obese rodents. We examined whether obese type 2 diabetic subjects have impaired exercise stimulation of AMPK, at different signaling levels, spanning from the upstream kinase, LKB1, to the putative AMPK targets, AS160 and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor coactivator (PGC)-1α, involved in glucose transport regulation and mitochondrial biogenesis, respectively. Twelve type 2 diabetic, eight obese, and eight lean subjects exercised on a cycle ergometer for 40 min. Muscle biopsies were done before, during, and after exercise. Subjects underwent this protocol on two occasions, at low (50% Vo2max) and moderate (70% Vo2max) intensities, with a 4–6 week interval. Exercise had no effect on LKB1 activity. Exercise had a time- and intensity-dependent effect to increase AMPK activity and AS160 phosphorylation. Obese and type 2 diabetic subjects had attenuated exercise-stimulated AMPK activity and AS160 phosphorylation. Type 2 diabetic subjects had reduced basal PGC-1 gene expression but normal exercise-induced increases in PGC-1 expression. Our findings suggest that obese type 2 diabetic subjects may need to exercise at higher intensity to stimulate the AMPK-AS160 axis to the same level as lean subjects.

Mechanism of action of exenatide to reduce postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes

We examined the contributions of insulin secretion, glucagon suppression, splanchnic and peripheral glucose metabolism, and delayed gastric emptying to the attenuation of postprandial hyperglycemia during intravenous exenatide administration. Twelve subjects with type 2 diabetes (3 F/9 M, 44 +/- 2 yr, BMI 34 +/- 4 kg/m2, Hb A(1c) 7.5 +/- 1.5%) participated in three meal-tolerance tests performed with double tracer technique (iv [3-3H]glucose and oral [1-14C]glucose): 1) iv saline (CON), 2) iv exenatide (EXE), and 3) iv exenatide plus glucagon (E+G). Acetaminophen was given with the mixed meal (75 g glucose, 25 g fat, 20 g protein) to monitor gastric emptying. Plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon, acetaminophen concentrations and glucose specific activities were measured for 6 h post meal. Post-meal hyperglycemia was markedly reduced (P < 0.01) in EXE (138 +/- 16 mg/dl) and in E+G (165 +/- 12) compared with CON (206 +/- 15). Baseline plasma glucagon ( approximately 90 pg/ml) decreased by approximately 20% to 73 +/- 4 pg/ml in EXE (P < 0.01) and was not different from CON in E+G (81 +/- 2). EGP was suppressed by exenatide [231 +/- 9 to 108 +/- 8 mg/min (54%) vs. 254 +/- 29 to189 +/- 27 mg/min (26%, P < 0.001, EXE vs. CON] and partially reversed by glucagon replacement [247 +/- 15 to 173 +/- 18 mg/min (31%)]. Oral glucose appearance was 39 +/- 4 g in CON vs. 23 +/- 6 g in EXE (P < 0.001) and 15 +/- 5 g in E+G, (P < 0.01 vs. CON). The glucose retained within the splanchnic bed increased from approximately 36g in CON to approximately 52g in EXE and to approximately 60g in E+G (P < 0.001 vs. CON). Acetaminophen((AUC)) was reduced by approximately 80% in EXE vs. CON (P < 0.01). We conclude that exenatide infusion attenuates postprandial hyperglycemia by decreasing EGP (by approximately 50%) and by slowing gastric emptying.

Insulin regulation of renal glucose metabolism in conscious dogs.

Previous studies indicating that postabsorptive renal glucose production is negligible used the net balance technique, which cannot partition simultaneous renal glucose production and glucose uptake. 10 d after surgical placement of sampling catheters in the left renal vein and femoral artery and a nonobstructive infusion catheter in the left renal artery of dogs, systemic and renal glucose and glycerol kinetics were measured with peripheral infusions of [3-3H]glucose and [2-14C]glycerol. After baseline measurements, animals received a 2-h intrarenal infusion of either insulin (n = 6) or saline (n = 6). Left renal vein insulin concentration increased from 41 +/- 8 to 92 +/- 23 pmol/l (P < 0.05) in the insulin group, but there was no change in either arterial insulin, (approximately 50 pmol/l), glucose concentrations (approximately 5.4 mmol/l), or glucose appearance (approximately 18 mumol.kg-1.min-1). Left renal glucose uptake increased from 3.1 +/- 0.4 to 5.4 +/- 1.4 mumol.kg-1.min-1 (P < 0.01) while left renal glucose production decreased from 2.6 +/- 0.9 to 0.7 +/- 0.5 mumol.kg-1.min-1 (P < 0.01) during insulin infusion. Renal gluconeogenesis from glycerol decreased from 0.23 +/- 0.06 to 0.17 +/- 0.04 mumol.kg-1.min-1 (P < 0.05) during insulin infusion. These results indicate that renal glucose production and utilization account for approximately 30% of glucose turnover in postabsorptive dogs. Physiological hyperinsulinemia suppresses renal glucose production and stimulates renal glucose uptake by approximately 75%. We conclude that the kidney makes a major contribution to systemic glucose metabolism in the postabsorptive state.

Insulin secretion and action in patients with pancreatic cancer

The authors investigated insulin secretory capacity and insulin action in 11 preoperative patients with pancreatic carcinoma and 15 age‐matched and weight‐matched healthy subjects (C). Five patients were classified as diabetic (D), two as impaired glucose tolerant (IGT), and four as nondiabetic (ND). Postabsorptive serum insulin levels (mean ± SE, in uU/ml) in D (12 ± 2), IGT (17 ± 7), and ND (10 ± 2) were comparable. After administration of 100 g of oral glucose, peak insulin achieved in D (60 ± 11) was lower than in IGT (101 ± 26) and ND (83 ± 20), whereas peak insulin levels in IGT and ND were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in C (45 ± 6). Comparable insulin response to nonglucose stimuli was documented in all subjects using the slow arginine infusion test with mean serum insulin of 27 ± 4 in D, 28 ± 6 in IGT, 34 ± 10 in ND, and 32 ± 5 in C. In six patients (P) and six controls, insulin action was assessed by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique, with glucose turnover rates estimated by [3‐3H]glucose infusion. Steady‐state plasma glucose concentrations were maintained at 92 ± 3 (P) and 91 ± 1 mg/dl (C). After insulin infusion at the rate of 1.0 mU/kg/min, comparable high physiologic insulin levels were observed in P (73 to 104 uU/ml) and in C (81 to 103 uU/ml). Postabsorptive rates of endogenous glucose appearance (Ra) were higher in P (2.86 to 3.02 mg/kg/min) than in C (1.50 to 2.80 mg/kg/min). At high physiologic insulin concentrations, negative Ra values were documented in all subjects, and complete suppression of Ra was assumed. Total body glucose use (M) was consistently lower in P (3.90 to 6.40 mg/kg/min) than in C (6.98 to 10.40 mg/kg/min), consistent with a state of insulin resistance. Patients with pancreatic cancer manifest insulin resistance by virtue of a decrease in total body glucose use (M) and decreased insulin response to glucose due to either inherent beta cell dysfunction or decreased islet cell mass. The latter is not identifiable by histologic morphology.

Insulin regulation of renal glucose metabolism in humans

Eighteen healthy subjects had arterialized hand and renal veins catheterized after an overnight fast. Systemic and renal glucose and glycerol kinetics were measured with [6,6-2H2]glucose and [2-13C]glycerol before and after 180-min peripheral infusions of insulin at 0.125 (LO) or 0.25 (HI) mU. kg-1. min-1 with variable [6, 6-2H2]dextrose or saline (control). Renal plasma flow was determined by plasma p-aminohippurate clearance. Arterial insulin increased from 37 +/- 8 to 53 +/- 5 (LO) and to 102 +/- 10 pM (HI, P < 0.01) but not in control (35 +/- 8 pM). Arterial glucose did not change and averaged 5.2 +/- 0.1 (control), 4.7 +/- 0.2 (LO), and 5.1 +/- 0. 2 (HI) micromol/ml; renal vein glucose decreased from 4.8 +/- 0.2 to 4.5 +/- 0.2 micromol/ml (LO) and from 5.3 +/- 0.2 to 4.9 +/- 0.1 micromol/ml (HI) with insulin but not saline infusion (5.3 +/- 0.1 micromol/ml). Endogenous glucose production decreased from 9.9 +/- 0. 7 to 6.9 +/- 0.5 (LO) and to 5.7 +/- 0.5 (HI) micromol. kg-1. min-1; renal glucose production decreased from 2.5 +/- 0.6 to 1.5 +/- 0.5 (LO) and to 1.2 +/- 0.6 (HI) micromol. kg-1. min-1, whereas renal glucose utilization increased from 1.5 +/- 0.6 to 2.6 +/- 0.7 (LO) and to 2.9 +/- 0.7 (HI) micromol. kg-1. min-1 after insulin infusion (all P < 0.05 vs. baseline). Neither endogenous glucose production (10.0 +/- 0.4), renal glucose production (1.1 +/- 0.4), nor renal glucose utilization (0.8 +/- 0.4) changed in the control group. During insulin infusion, systemic gluconeogenesis from glycerol decreased from 0.67 +/- 0.05 to 0.18 +/- 0.02 (LO) and from 0.60 +/- 0.04 to 0.20 +/- 0.02 (HI) micromol. kg-1. min-1 (P < 0.01), and renal gluconeogenesis from glycerol decreased from 0.10 +/- 0.02 to 0.02 +/- 0.02 (LO) and from 0.15 +/- 0.03 to 0.09 +/- 0.03 (HI) micromol. kg-1. min-1 (P < 0.05). In contrast, during saline infusion, systemic (0.66 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.82 +/- 0.05 micromol. kg-1. min-1) and renal gluconeogenesis from glycerol (0.11 +/- 0.02 vs. 0. 41 +/- 0.04 micromol. kg-1. min-1) increased (P < 0.05 vs. baseline). We conclude that glucose production and utilization by the kidney are important insulin-responsive components of glucose metabolism in humans.Eighteen healthy subjects had arterialized hand and renal veins catheterized after an overnight fast. Systemic and renal glucose and glycerol kinetics were measured with [6,6-2H2]glucose and [2-13C]glycerol before and after 180-min peripheral infusions of insulin at 0.125 (LO) or 0.25 (HI) mU ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1with variable [6,6-2H2]dextrose or saline (control). Renal plasma flow was determined by plasma p-aminohippurate clearance. Arterial insulin increased from 37 ± 8 to 53 ± 5 (LO) and to 102 ± 10 pM (HI, P < 0.01) but not in control (35 ± 8 pM). Arterial glucose did not change and averaged 5.2 ± 0.1 (control), 4.7 ± 0.2 (LO), and 5.1 ± 0.2 (HI) μmol/ml; renal vein glucose decreased from 4.8 ± 0.2 to 4.5 ± 0.2 μmol/ml (LO) and from 5.3 ± 0.2 to 4.9 ± 0.1 μmol/ml (HI) with insulin but not saline infusion (5.3 ± 0.1 μmol/ml). Endogenous glucose production decreased from 9.9 ± 0.7 to 6.9 ± 0.5 (LO) and to 5.7 ± 0.5 (HI) μmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1; renal glucose production decreased from 2.5 ± 0.6 to 1.5 ± 0.5 (LO) and to 1.2 ± 0.6 (HI) μmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1, whereas renal glucose utilization increased from 1.5 ± 0.6 to 2.6 ± 0.7 (LO) and to 2.9 ± 0.7 (HI) μmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1after insulin infusion (all P < 0.05 vs. baseline). Neither endogenous glucose production (10.0 ± 0.4), renal glucose production (1.1 ± 0.4), nor renal glucose utilization (0.8 ± 0.4) changed in the control group. During insulin infusion, systemic gluconeogenesis from glycerol decreased from 0.67 ± 0.05 to 0.18 ± 0.02 (LO) and from 0.60 ± 0.04 to 0.20 ± 0.02 (HI) μmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1( P < 0.01), and renal gluconeogenesis from glycerol decreased from 0.10 ± 0.02 to 0.02 ± 0.02 (LO) and from 0.15 ± 0.03 to 0.09 ± 0.03 (HI) μmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1( P < 0.05). In contrast, during saline infusion, systemic (0.66 ± 0.03 vs. 0.82 ± 0.05 μmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1) and renal gluconeogenesis from glycerol (0.11 ± 0.02 vs. 0.41 ± 0.04 μmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1) increased ( P < 0.05 vs. baseline). We conclude that glucose production and utilization by the kidney are important insulin-responsive components of glucose metabolism in humans.

Initial combination therapy with metformin, pioglitazone and exenatide is more effective than sequential add‐on therapy in subjects with new‐onset diabetes. Results from the Efficacy and Durability of Initial Combination Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes (EDICT): a randomized trial

To test our hypothesis that initiating therapy with a combination of agents known to improve insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in subjects with new‐onset diabetes would produce greater, more durable reduction in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, while avoiding hypoglycaemia and weight gain, compared with sequential addition of agents that lower plasma glucose but do not correct established pathophysiological abnormalities.

Reduction in Hematocrit and Hemoglobin Following Pioglitazone Treatment is not Hemodilutional in Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Peripheral edema, mild weight gain, and anemia are often observed in type II diabetic patients treated with thiazolidinediones (TZDs). Small decreases in hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) appear to be a class effect of TZDs and are generally attributed to fluid retention, although experimental data are lacking. We analyzed 50 patients with type II diabetes mellitus undergoing either placebo or pioglitazone (PIO, 45 mg/day) for 16 weeks. Before and after therapy, we measured Hb/Hct and used 3H2O and bioimpedance to quantitate total body water (TBW), extracellular water, and fat‐free mass. The majority (89%) of the increment in body weight was accounted for by increased body fat. Hb and Hct fell significantly in the PIO group (−0.9±0.2 g/dl, −2.4±0.5%, both P<0.0001), without change in TBW. A decline in white blood cell (−0.8±0.1 × 103/mm3, P<0.0001) and platelet (−15±6 × 103/mm3, P<0.02) counts was seen after PIO. In conclusion, the small decreases in Hb/Hct observed after 16 weeks of PIO treatment cannot be explained by an increase in TBW. Other causes, such a mild marrow suppressive effect, should be explored.

The effects of euglycemic hyperinsulinemia and amino acid infusion on regional and whole body glucose disposal in man

We investigated the effects of amino acid infusion on regional and whole body glucose metabolism in 16 normal volunteers, age 32 to 70 years. Ten subjects underwent 140-minute euglycemic insulin infusions at the rate of 1 mU/kg.min with concomitant 10% amino acid infusion. Six volunteers who underwent identical euglycemic insulin infusions without amino acid infusion served as controls. Whole body glucose disposal was estimated by the rate of exogenous glucose infusion required to maintain euglycemia, and peripheral glucose balance was evaluated by the forearm balance technique. In four subjects from each group, a primed, continuous infusion of [3-3H]glucose was used to quantify endogenous glucose production (EGP). Comparable states of hyperinsulinemia were achieved with insulin concentrations (microU/mL) of 101 +/- 7 observed in the group with amino acid infusion and 95 +/- 14 in the control group. Whole body glucose utilization was significantly lower (P less than .001) in the subjects receiving amino acid infusion (5.0 +/- 0.4 mg/kg.min) compared with the control group (8.7 +/- 0.8 mg/kg.min). Forearm glucose disposal was markedly reduced (P less than .05) in the group receiving amino acid infusion (1,385 +/- 330 nmol/100 g.min) compared with controls (2,980 +/- 460 nmol/100 g.min). Under comparable conditions of euglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, virtually complete suppression of EGP was observed in both groups. We conclude that infusion of amino acids with insulin under euglycemic conditions reduces whole body glucose utilization primarily by reducing peripheral glucose disposal.