Studies on Glucose Utilization and Insulin Responsiveness of Human Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in Obese and Non-Obese Subjects[*]

Abstract

In subcutaneous human tissue of obese and non obese subjects glucose uptake and incorporation of glucose-l-¹⁴C into CO₂ were measured after incubation in a medium containing glucose. Basal glucose uptake was not correlated to age and body weight and was not changed in obese subjects.

Insulin caused a significant increase of glucose uptake and a less marked increase of glucose oxydation. There was a linear relationship between the percentual increase of glucose uptake and the log of insulin dose. The maximal effective insulin concentration was 1000 µE/ml, higher doses did not cause further increase of glucose uptake.

EDTA-plasma induced a significant increase of glucose uptake in the rat fat pad, but human adipose tissue was not stimulated. Anti-insulin-serum caused no significant change of glucose metabolism in adipose tissue.

There was no significant decrease of basal glucose utilization in adipose tissue of obese subjects. Insulin effect was reduced in obese subjects with less than 50% overweight and not present in subjects with more than 50% overweight.

A significant negative correlation was found between the log of stimulation by insulin in percent of basal value and percent overweight.

Key words

Human Adipose Tissue - Glucose Utilization - Insulin Responsiveness

1 Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bad Godesberg

1 Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bad Godesberg

2 New address: Medizinische Universitätsklinik Marburg/ Lahn