Biomaterial Database

Effect of interferon on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. 1989

V A Koivisto, and R Pelkonen, and K Cantell

Helsinki University Hospital, Second Department of Medicine, Finland.

Many viral infections induce interferon (IFN) production and cause insulin resistance. To examine the causal relationship between IFN and insulin resistance, we injected natural human leukocyte IFN-alpha (3 x 10(6) IU, i.m.) twice overnight in eight healthy subjects and determined oral (OGT) and intravenous (IVGT) glucose tolerance and sensitivity to insulin (287 nmol or 40 mU.m-2.min-1 euglycemic insulin clamp) the following morning. IFN caused mild influenzalike symptoms and induced a rise in circulating glucose, insulin, hydrocortisone (cortisol), growth hormone, and glucagon concentrations (P less than .05-.001). In the OGT test, the area under the glucose curve was 2.6-fold greater (P less than .02), and the disappearance rate of intravenously administered glucose was reduced by 28% (P less than .05) after IFN administration. The impairment in OGT and IVGT occurred despite augmented insulin response. Insulin-stimulated glucose disposal was reduced by 22% (P less than .005), and insulin clearance increased by 18% (P less than .02) after IFN administration. When the insulin-clamp study was repeated in patients with steady-state hyperinsulinemia that was 12% higher (P less than .005) after IFN, the glucose disposal rate was still reduced by 15% (P less than .01). These data indicate that IFN 1) stimulates counterregulatory hormone secretion, 2) impairs glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and 3) stimulates insulin clearance. Thus, IFN may be involved in the development of insulin resistance during viral infections.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007328	Insulin	A 51-amino acid pancreatic hormone that plays a major role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, directly by suppressing endogenous glucose production (GLYCOGENOLYSIS; GLUCONEOGENESIS) and indirectly by suppressing GLUCAGON secretion and LIPOLYSIS. Native insulin is a globular protein comprised of a zinc-coordinated hexamer. Each insulin monomer containing two chains, A (21 residues) and B (30 residues), linked by two disulfide bonds. Insulin is used as a drug to control insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 1).	Iletin,Insulin A Chain,Insulin B Chain,Insulin, Regular,Novolin,Sodium Insulin,Soluble Insulin,Chain, Insulin B,Insulin, Sodium,Insulin, Soluble,Regular Insulin
D007333	Insulin Resistance	Diminished effectiveness of INSULIN in lowering blood sugar levels: requiring the use of 200 units or more of insulin per day to prevent HYPERGLYCEMIA or KETOSIS.	Insulin Sensitivity,Resistance, Insulin,Sensitivity, Insulin
D007370	Interferon Type I	Interferon secreted by leukocytes, fibroblasts, or lymphoblasts in response to viruses or interferon inducers other than mitogens, antigens, or allo-antigens. They include alpha- and beta-interferons (INTERFERON-ALPHA and INTERFERON-BETA).	Interferons Type I,Type I Interferon,Type I Interferons,Interferon, Type I,Interferons, Type I
D008297	Male		Males
D001786	Blood Glucose	Glucose in blood.	Blood Sugar,Glucose, Blood,Sugar, Blood
D002096	C-Peptide	The middle segment of proinsulin that is between the N-terminal B-chain and the C-terminal A-chain. It is a pancreatic peptide of about 31 residues, depending on the species. Upon proteolytic cleavage of proinsulin, equimolar INSULIN and C-peptide are released. C-peptide immunoassay has been used to assess pancreatic beta cell function in diabetic patients with circulating insulin antibodies or exogenous insulin. Half-life of C-peptide is 30 min, almost 8 times that of insulin.	Proinsulin C-Peptide,C-Peptide, Proinsulin,Connecting Peptide,C Peptide,C Peptide, Proinsulin,Proinsulin C Peptide
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D005230	Fatty Acids, Nonesterified	FATTY ACIDS found in the plasma that are complexed with SERUM ALBUMIN for transport. These fatty acids are not in glycerol ester form.	Fatty Acids, Free,Free Fatty Acid,Free Fatty Acids,NEFA,Acid, Free Fatty,Acids, Free Fatty,Acids, Nonesterified Fatty,Fatty Acid, Free,Nonesterified Fatty Acids
D005260	Female		Females
D005934	Glucagon	A 29-amino acid pancreatic peptide derived from proglucagon which is also the precursor of intestinal GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDES. Glucagon is secreted by PANCREATIC ALPHA CELLS and plays an important role in regulation of BLOOD GLUCOSE concentration, ketone metabolism, and several other biochemical and physiological processes. (From Gilman et al., Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed, p1511)	Glucagon (1-29),Glukagon,HG-Factor,Hyperglycemic-Glycogenolytic Factor,Proglucagon (33-61),HG Factor,Hyperglycemic Glycogenolytic Factor