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Objective: In vertebrates, body fat stores and insulin action are controlled by the temporal interaction of circadian neuroendocrine oscillations. Bromocriptine modulates neurotransmitter action in the brain and has been shown to improve glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in animal models of obesity and diabetes. We studied the effect of a quick-release bromocriptine formulation on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in obese type 2 diabetic subjects.Research Design and Methods: There were 22 obese subjects with type 2 diabetes randomized to receive a quick-release formulation of bromocriptine (n = 15) or placebo (n = 7) in a 16-week double-blind study. Subjects were prescribed a weight-maintaining diet to exclude any effect of changes in body weight on the primary outcome measurements. Fasting plasma glucose concentration and HbA(1c) were measured at 2- to 4-week intervals during treatment. Body composition (underwater weighing), body fat distribution (magnetic resonance imaging), oral glucose tolerance (oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT]), insulin-mediated glucose disposal, and endogenous glucose production (2-step euglycemic insulin clamp, 40 and 160 mU x min(-1) x m(-2)) were measured before and after treatment.Results: No changes in body weight or body composition occurred during the study in either placebo- or bromocriptine-treated subjects. Bromocriptine significantly reduced HbA(1c) (from 8.7 to 8.1%, P = 0.009) and fasting plasma glucose (from 190 to 172 mg/dl, P = 0.02) levels, whereas these variables increased during placebo treatment (from 8.5 to 9.1%, NS, and from 187 to 223 mg/dl, P = 0.02, respectively). The differences in HbA(1c) (delta = 1.2%, P = 0.01) and fasting glucose (delta = 54 mg/dl, P < 0.001) levels between the bromocriptine and placebo group at 16 weeks were highly significant. The mean plasma glucose concentration during OGTT was significantly reduced by bromocriptine (from 294 to 272 mg/dl, P = 0.005), whereas it increased in the placebo group. No change in glucose disposal occurred during the first step of the insulin clamp in either the bromocriptine- or placebo-treated group. During the second insulin clamp step, bromocriptine improved total glucose disposal from 6.8 to 8.4 mg x min(-1) kg(-1) fat-free mass (FFM) (P = 0.01) and nonoxidative glucose disposal from 3.3 to 4.3 mg min(-1) x kg(-1) FFM (P < 0.05), whereas both of these variables deteriorated significantly (P < or = 0.02) in the placebo group.Conclusions: Bromocriptine improves glycemic control and glucose tolerance in obese type 2 diabetic patients. Both reductions in fasting and postprandial plasma glucose levels appear to contribute to the improvement in glucose tolerance. The bromocriptine-induced improvement in glycemic control is associated with enhanced maximally stimulated insulin-mediated glucose disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic hyperglycemia results from insulin resistance of peripheral tissues and glucose overproduction due to increased gluconeogenesis (GNG). Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) improve peripheral insulin sensitivity, but the effect on the liver is less clear. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of TZDs on GNG. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty sulfonylurea-treated type 2 diabetic subjects were randomly assigned (double-blind study) to receive pioglitazone (PIO group; 45 mg/day) or placebo (Plc group) for 4 months to assess endogenous glucose production (EGP) (3-(3)H-glucose infusion), GNG (D(2)O technique), and insulin sensitivity by two-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (240 and 960 pmol/min per m(2)). RESULTS: Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (10.0 +/- 0.8 to 7.7 +/- 0.7 mmol/l) and HbA(1c) (9.0 +/- 0.4 to 7.3 +/- 0.6%) decreased in the PIO and increased in Plc group (P < 0.05 PIO vs. Plc). Insulin sensitivity increased approximately 40% during high insulin clamp after pioglitazone (P < 0.01) and remained unchanged in the Plc group (P < 0.05 PIO vs. Plc). EGP did not change, while GNG decreased in the PIO group (9.6 +/- 0.7 to 8.7 +/- 0.6 micromol x min(-1) x kg(ffm)(-1)) and increased in the Plc group (8.0 +/- 0.5 to 9.6 +/- 0.8) (P < 0.05 PIO vs. Plc). Change in FPG correlated with change in GNG flux (r = 0.63, P < 0.003) and in insulin sensitivity (r = 0.59, P < 0.01). Plasma adiponectin increased after pioglitazone (P < 0.001) and correlated with DeltaFPG (r = -0.54, P < 0.03), DeltaGNG flux (r = -0.47, P < 0.05), and Deltainsulin sensitivity (r = 0.65, P < 0.005). Plasma free fatty acids decreased after pioglitazone and correlated with DeltaGNG flux (r = 0.54, P < 0.02). From stepwise regression analysis, the strongest determinant of change in FPG was change in GNG flux. CONCLUSIONS: Pioglitazone improves FPG, primarily by reducing GNG flux in type 2 diabetic subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To elucidate the effects of pioglitazone treatment on glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes.Research Design and Methods: A total of 23 diabetic patients (age 30-70 years BMI < 36 kg/m2) who being treated with a stable dose of sulfonylurea were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (n = 11) or pioglitazone (45 mg/day) (n = 12) for 16 weeks. Before and after 16 weeks of treatment, all subjects received a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hepatic peripheral insulin sensitivity was measured with a two-step euglycemic insulin (40 and 160 mU x min(-1) x m(-2) clamp performed with 3-[3H]glucose and indirect calorimetry HbA1c measured monthly throughout the study period.Results: After 16 weeks of pioglitazone treatment, the fasting plasma glucose (FPG; 184 +/- 15 to 135 +/- 11 mg/dl, P < 0.01), mean plasma glucose during OGTT(293 +/- 12 to 225 +/- 14 mg/dl, P < 0.01), and HbA1c (8.9 +/- 0.3 to 7.2 +/- 0.5%, P < 0.01 ) decreased significantly without change in fasting or glucose-stimulated insulin/C-peptide concentrations. Fasting plasma free fatty acid (FFA; 647 +/- 39 to 478 +/- 49) microEq/l, P < 0.01) and mean plasma FFA during OGTT (485 +/- 30 to 347 +/- 33 microEq/l, P < 0.01) decreased significantly after pioglitazone treatment. Before and after pioglitazone treatment, basal endogenous glucose prodution (EGP) and FPG were strongly correlated (r = 0.67, P < 0.01). EGP during the first insulin clamp step was significantly decreased after pioglitazone treatment (P < 0.05) whereas insulin-stimulated total and nonoxidative glucose disposal during the second insulin clamp was increased (P < 0.01). The change in FPG was related to the change in basal EGP, EGP during the first insulin clamp step, and total glucose disposal during the second insulin clamp step. The change in mean plasma glucose concentration during the OGGTT was strongly related to the change in total body glucose disposl during the second insulin clamp step.Conclusions: These results suggest that pioglitazone therapy in type 2 diabetic patients decreases lasting and postprandial plasma glucose levels by improving hepatic and peripheral (muscle) tissue sensitivity to insulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The hyperbolic relationship between insulin secretion and sensitivity has been used to assess in vivo β-cell function (i.e., the disposition index). The disposition index emphasizes the importance of taking into account both skeletal muscle and hepatic insulin resistance to depict insulin secretion. However, we propose that adipose tissue insulin resistance also needs to be accounted for when characterizing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) because elevated plasma free fatty acids (FFAs) impair β-cell function., Research Design and Methods: To characterize the adipose disposition index, we used [1-(14)C] palmitate infusion to determine basal FFA turnover rate/adipose insulin resistance and an oral glucose tolerance test to characterize the first (i.e., 0-30 min) and second phase (i.e., 60-120 min) of GSIS. We validated a simplified version of the tracer infusion calculation as the product of (1/plasma FFA concentration × plasma insulin concentration) × GSIS in 44 obese insulin-resistant subjects., Results: The plasma FFA and palmitate tracer infusion calculations of the first- and second-phase disposition index were strongly correlated (r = 0.86, P < 0.000001 and r = 0.89, P < 0.000001, respectively). The first- and second-phase adipose disposition index derived from plasma FFA also was tightly associated with fasting hyperglycemia (r = -0.87, P < 0.00001 and r = -0.89, P < 0.00001, respectively) and 2-h glucose concentrations (r = -0.86, P < 0.00001 and r = -0.90, P < 0.00001)., Conclusions: Adjusting GSIS for adipose insulin resistance provides an index of β-cell function in obese subjects across the glucose spectrum. Plasma FFA-derived calculations of β-cell function may provide additional insight into the role of adipose tissue in glucose regulation., (© 2014 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.)

Objective: We sought to examine the mechanisms by which the addition of glargine insulin or rosiglitazone improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetic subjects poorly controlled on maximally effective doses of metformin plus sulfonylurea., Research Design and Methods: Subjects (aged 47 +/- 11 years, BMI 31 +/- 5 kg/m(2), HbA(1c) [A1C] 9.4 +/- 1.3%) received bedtime glargine insulin (titrated based on the fasting plasma glucose [FPG], n = 10) or rosiglitazone (4 mg twice daily, n = 10). At baseline and after 4 months, A1C was measured and an oral glucose tolerance test and a 3-h euglycemic insulin (80 mU/m(2) per min) clamp with [3-(3)H]glucose were performed., Results: A1C and FPG decreased similarly in the glargine insulin (9.1 +/- 0.4 to 7.6 +/- 0.3% and 212 +/- 14 to 139 +/- 5 mg/dl, respectively, both P < 0.0001) and rosiglitazone (9.4 +/- 0.3 to 7.6 +/- 0.4% and 223 +/- 14 to 160 +/- 19 mg/dl, respectively, both P < 0.005) groups. After 4 months, endogenous glucose production (EGP) declined similarly with glargine insulin (2.27 +/- 0.10 to 1.73 +/- 0.12 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1), P < 0.0001) and rosiglitazone (2.21 +/- 0.12 to 1.88 +/- 0.12 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1), P = 0.01). The hepatic insulin resistance index declined in the rosiglitazone group (32 +/- 3 to 21 +/- 1 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1) x microU/ml, P = 0.03 vs. baseline and P < 0.05 vs. glargine insulin) and did not change in the glargine group (22 +/- 5 to 20 +/- 3 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1) x microU/ml, P = NS). At 4 months, glargine insulin (3.6 +/- 0.5 to 4.2 +/- 0.4 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1), P < 0.01) and rosiglitazone (2.7 +/- 0.3 to 3.8 +/- 0.3 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1), P < 0.0005) increased R(d), but the increment was greater in the rosiglitazone group (P < 0.05). Diastolic blood pressure was reduced only by rosiglitazone (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Triple therapy with glargine insulin or rosiglitazone similarly reduced A1C, primarily by suppressing basal EGP (hepatic). Glargine insulin reduced basal EGP by increasing plasma insulin levels, while rosiglitazone decreased basal hepatic glucose production by improving hepatic insulin sensitivity.

Objective: 1) To evaluate the effect of a single oral dose of hexyl-insulin monoconjugate 2 (HIM2) on the rate of whole-body glucose disposal (Rd) and endogenous glucose production (EGP) in healthy nondiabetic subjects, 2) to examine the reproducibility of HIM2 on glucose metabolism, and 3) to compare the results obtained with HIM2 with those using a bioequivalent dose of subcutaneous lispro insulin., Research Design and Methods: Six healthy subjects ([means +/- SE] aged 31 +/- 5 years and BMI 23.1 +/- 3.9 kg/m2) participated in four studies performed in random order on separate days. Subjects ingested a single dose of HIM2 (0.125, 0.5, and 0.75 mg/kg) or received subcutaneous lispro insulin (0.1 units/kg). Studies were performed with [3-3H]glucose, and plasma glucose concentration was maintained at basal levels for 4 h with the euglycemic clamp technique. After 6 weeks, subjects participated in two repeat studies to examine the reproducibility of HIM2 (0.5 mg/kg) and lispro insulin (0.1 units/kg)., Results: Fasting plasma insulin (7 muU/ml) increased to a maximum of 102, 321, and 561 muU/ml at 60 min after all three HIM2 doses (0.125, 0.5, and 0.75 mg/kg, respectively). A dose-related decrease in basal EGP was observed as the HIM2 dosage was increased from 0 to 0.125 to 0.5 mg/kg (P <0.05 vs. each preceding dose). Suppression of EGP was similar with the 0.5- and 0.75-mg/kg HIM2 doses. A dose-related stimulation of basal Rd was observed as the HIM2 dosage was increased from 0 to 0.125 to 0.5 (P <0.05 vs. each preceding dose) to 0.75 mg/kg (P <0.10 vs. preceding dose). Rd (0-240 min) was increased by 0.5 mg/kg oral HIM2 to a value similar to 0.1 units/kg lispro insulin. The 0.125-mg/kg HIM2 dose reduced EGP (0-240 min) to a value that was similar to 0.1 units/kg lispro insulin. The variability in the effect of HIM2 and lispro on Rd (25 +/- 7 vs. 27 +/- 1%, respectively) and on suppression of EGP (19 +/- 1 vs. 19 +/- 0.7%, respectively) was similar., Conclusions: Oral HIM2 suppresses EGP and increases tissue Rd in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of HIM2 on EGP and Rd persisted at 240 min, even though plasma insulin concentration had returned to basal levels. Oral HIM2 may provide an effective and reproducible means of controlling postprandial plasma glucose excursions in diabetic patients.

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes. To determine whether the TZD-induced improvement in glycemic control is associated with enhanced insulin receptor signaling in skeletal muscle, 20 type 2 diabetic patients received a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and euglycemic insulin (80 mU x m(-2) x min(-1)) clamp with [3-(3)H]glucose/indirect calorimetry/vastus lateralis muscle biopsies before and after 16 weeks of rosiglitazone treatment. Six age-matched nondiabetic subjects served as control subjects. RSG improved fasting plasma glucose (185 +/- 8 to 139 +/- 5 mg/dl), mean plasma glucose during the OGTT (290 +/- 9 to 225 +/- 6 mg/dl), HbA(1c) (8.5 +/- 0.3 to 7.1 +/- 0.3%), insulin-mediated total-body glucose disposal (TGD) (6.9 +/- 0.7 to 9.2 +/- 0.8 mg x kg(-1) fat-free mass x min(-1)) (all P < 0.001), and decreased fasting plasma free fatty acid (FFA) (789 +/- 59 to 656 +/- 50 micro Eq/l) and mean FFA during the OGTT (644 +/- 41 to 471 +/- 35 micro Eq/l) (both P < 0.01). Before RSG treatment, insulin infusion did not significantly increase insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation (0.95 +/- 0.10 to 1.08 +/- 0.13 density units; NS) but had a small stimulatory effect on insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 tyrosine phosphorylation (1.05 +/- 0.10 to 1.21 +/- 0.12 density units; P < 0.01) and the association of p85 with IRS-1 (0.94 +/- 0.06 to 1.08 +/- 0.06 activity units; P < 0.01). RSG therapy had no effect on basal or insulin-stimulated insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation but increased insulin stimulation of IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation (1.13 +/- 0.11 to 1.56 +/- 0.17 density units; P < 0.01 vs. prerosiglitazone) and p85 association with IRS-1 (1.00 +/- 0.06 to 1.27 +/- 0.07 activity units; P < 0.05 vs. prerosiglitazone). In control and type 2 diabetic subjects, TGD/nonoxidative glucose disposal correlated positively with the insulin-stimulated increments in IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation (r = 0.52/r = 0.57, P < 0.01) and inversely with the plasma FFA concentration during the insulin clamp (r = -0.55/r = -0.53, P < 0.01). However, no significant association between plasma FFA concentrations during the insulin clamp and the increment in either IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation or the association of p85 with IRS-1 was observed. In conclusion, in type 2 diabetic patients, rosiglitazone treatment enhances downstream insulin receptor signaling in muscle and decreases plasma FFA concentration while improving glycemic control.

The effect of pioglitazone on splanchnic glucose uptake (SGU), endogenous glucose production (EGP), and hepatic fat content was studied in 14 type 2 diabetic patients (age 50 +/- 2 years, BMI 29.4 +/- 1.1 kg/m(2), HbA(1c) 7.8 +/- 0.4%). Hepatic fat content (magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and SGU (oral glucose load- insulin clamp technique) were quantitated before and after pioglitazone (45 mg/day) therapy for 16 weeks. Subjects received a 7-h euglycemic insulin (100 mU. m(-2). min(-1)) clamp, and a 75-g oral glucose load was ingested 3 h after starting the insulin clamp. Following glucose ingestion, the steady-state glucose infusion rate during the insulin clamp was decreased appropriately to maintain euglycemia. SGU was calculated by subtracting the integrated decrease in glucose infusion rate during the 4 h after glucose ingestion from the ingested glucose load. 3-[(3)H]glucose was infused during the initial 3 h of the insulin clamp to determine rates of EGP and glucose disappearance (R(d)). Pioglitazone reduced fasting plasma glucose (10.0 +/- 0.7 to 7.5 +/- 0.6 mmol/l, P < 0.001) and HbA(1c) (7.8 +/- 0.4 to 6.7 +/- 0.3%, P < 0.001) despite increased body weight (83 +/- 3 to 86 +/- 3 kg, P < 0.001). During the 3-h insulin clamp period before glucose ingestion, pioglitazone improved R(d) (6.9 +/- 0.5 vs. 5.2 +/- 0.5 mg. kg(-1). min(- 1), P < 0.001) and insulin-mediated suppression of EGP (0.21 +/- 0.04 to 0.06 +/- 0.02 mg. kg(-1). min(-1), P < 0.01). Following pioglitazone treatment, hepatic fat content decreased from 19.6 +/- 3.6 to 10.4 +/- 2.1%, (P < 0.005), and SGU increased from 33.0 +/- 2.8 to 46.2 +/- 5.1% (P < 0.005). Pioglitazone treatment in type 2 diabetes 1) decreases hepatic fat content and improves insulin-mediated suppression of EGP and 2) augments splanchnic and peripheral tissue glucose uptake. Improved splanchnic/peripheral glucose uptake and enhanced suppression of EGP contribute to the improvement in glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To investigate the dose-response effects of pioglitazone on glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes., Research Design and Methods: A total of 58 diet-treated patients with type 2 diabetes (aged 54 +/- 1 years; 34 men and 24 women; BMI 31.5 +/- 0.6 kg/m(2)) were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n=11) or 7.5 mg (n=13), 15 mg (n=12), 30 mg (n=11), or 45 mg (n=11) of pioglitazone per day for 26 weeks. Before and after 26 weeks, subjects underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)., Results: Patients treated with 7.5 or 15 mg/day of pioglitazone had no change in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fasting plasma insulin (FPI) concentrations or in plasma glucose (PG) and insulin concentrations during the OGTT. Patients treated with 30 and 45 mg/day of pioglitazone, respectively, had significant decreases from placebo in HbA1c (delta=-2.0 and -2.9%), FPG (delta=-66 and -97 mg/dl), and mean PG during OGTT (delta=-84 and -107 mg/dl). Fasting plasma insulin decreased significantly in the 45-mg/day pioglitazone group, but the mean plasma insulin during the OGTT did not change. The insulinogenic index (delta area under the curve [AUC] insulin/deltaAUC glucose) during the OGTT increased significantly in the 30- and 45-mg/day pioglitazone groups (0.13 +/- 0.03 to 0.27 +/- 0.05, P < 0.05). From the OGTT, we previously have derived a composite whole-body insulin sensitivity index (ISI) that correlates well with that measured directly with the insulin clamp technique. Whole-body ISI [ISI=10,000/(square-root (FPG x FPI) x (PG x PI)) where PG and PI equal mean plasma glucose and insulin concentrations during OGTT] increased significantly in patients treated with 30 mg (1.8 +/- 0.3 to 2.5 +/- 0.3, P < 0.05) or 45 mg (1.6 +/- 0.2 to 2.7 +/- 0.6, P < 0.05) per day of pioglitazone. In the basal state, the hepatic ISI [k/(FPG x FPI)[k/(FPG x FPI)], which agrees closely with that measured directly with tritiated glucose, increased in patients treated with 30 mg (0.13 +/- 0.02 to 0.21 +/- 0.03, P < 0.05) and 45 mg (0.11 +/- 0.02 to 0.24 +/- 0.06, P < 0.05) per day of pioglitazone. Significant correlations between the dose of pioglitazone and the changes in HbA1c (r=-0.58), FPG (r=-0.47), mean PG during the OGTT (r=-0.46), insulinogenic index (r=0.34), hepatic ISI (r=0.44), and whole-body ISI (r=0.36) were observed., Conclusions: Pioglitazone improves glycemic control through the dose-dependent enhancement of beta-cell function and improved whole-body and hepatic insulin sensitivity.