ISSN:
1432-0428
Keywords:
Obesity
;
Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus
;
hyperinsulinaemia
;
serum proinsulin
;
proinsulin/insulin ratio
;
insulin secretion
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Serum proinsulin is disproportionately elevated compared to insulin in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. We studied the effect of obesity on serum proinsulin with varying degrees of glucose intolerance. Serum proinsulin and insulin were measured during a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test in 73 obese and 74 non-obese subjects with normal, borderline or diabetic-type glucose tolerance. Proinsulin was assayed by a direct radioimmunoassay using proinsulin-specific antiserum. Fasting serum proinsulin and insulin and the summed values of proinsulin and insulin during oral glucose tolerance test were significantly, or tended to be, higher in obese subjects than in those without obesity in each category of glucose tolerance. However, the molar ratio of proinsulin to insulin was nearly the same between obese and non-obese groups with a similar degree of glucose tolerance. On the other hand, the proinsulin/insulin ratio increased progressively with the deterioration of glucose tolerance. We conclude that proinsulin secretion is disproportionately increased in the presence of glucose intolerance but not by obesity itself. Each Beta cell seems to function normally in obese subjects while glucose tolerance remains normal.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00401520
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