Insulin binding to trophoblast plasma membranes and placental glycogen content in well-controlled gestational diabetic women treated with diet or insulin,in well-controlled overt diabetic patients and in healthy control subjects

Summary Insulin binding to trophoblast plasma membranes and the placental glycogen content were measured in twelve healthy women, in eleven well-controlled gestational diabetic women who were treated either with diet alone (n=4) or with insulin (n=7) and in 18 women with well-controlled overt diabetes mellitus (six White B; four White C; eight White D). The competitive binding assay was carried out with 22 concentrations of unlabelled insulin. Binding data were analysed by a non-linear direct model fitting procedure assuming one non-cooperative binding site. Maximum specific binding was unchanged in the total collective of gestational diabetic women, but was decreased by 30% in those treated with diet (6.2±2.2%) and increased by 90% in insulin-treated women (16.4±10.2%) as compared to the control subjects (8.7±2.5%). The diet-treated women had only 40% as many and those treated with insulin had more than twice as many receptors compared to control subjects on a per mg protein basis and if expressed per total placenta. In patients with overt diabetes mellitus maximum specific binding (18.5±10.6 %) was higher (p<0.05) due to more receptors compared to control subjects but was similar to the insulin-treated gestational diabetic patients. Maximum specific binding and receptor concentrations did not correlate linearly with maternal plasma insulin levels. Receptor affinities were virtually similar in all groups (1.8·10⁹ l/mol). The placental glycogen content was reduced (p<0.05) to about 80% of that of control subjects in the diet-treated collective, whereas it was unchanged compared to control subjects in the insulin-treated gestational diabetic women despite a 40% increase (p<0.001) of the maternal-to-cord serum glucose ratio. In overt diabetic patients the maternal-to-cord serum glucose ratio and the placental glycogen content were higher (p<0.05) than in the control subjects. We conclude that trophoblast plasma membranes from gestational diabetic women treated with diet alone express less and those from women treated with insulin express more insulin receptors than those from a healthy control group in vitro. These differences could not have been disclosed without consideration of the mode of treatment. Trophoblast plasma membranes from overt diabetic women have more insulin receptors than those from healthy control subjects.     

Patch test reactions in atopic patients

Patch testing was carried out in 851 atopic patients; 181 atopic dermatitis (AD) patients were additionally tested with 50% dilutions of the test substances. The occurrence of allergic and irritant reactions was frequent, being 57% and 33% for AD patients aged 28-41 years and 19-27 years, respectively. Among age-matched allergic rhinitis (AR)/allergic conjunctivitis (AC) or asthma (A) patients, the number of allergic reactions varied from 25 to 30%, and for irritant reactions was 24%. In all groups, nickel, fragrance-mix, balsam of Peru and neomycin were the commonest allergens. Contact allergy to ingredients of topical medicaments was common among AD patients and patients with severe and long-lasting dermatitis were most frequently sensitized. However, sensitivity to multiple substances was not common among those patients. The number of irritant reactions was considerable, but 50% dilution of the test substances did not solve the problem.     

Olfactory Absorption of Insulin to the Brain

A vast number of potent neuropharmaceuticals, many of which are peptides, are excluded from entry into the brain because of the highly selective blood-brain barrier. The fact that a number of drugs have been shown to be transported directly to the central nervous system following application to the olfactory region of the nose is therefore of major interest. In the present study, the feasibility of delivering peptides to the brain via the olfactory route was assessed using insulin as a model peptide. Systemic hyperinsulinemia induced by subcutaneous injection did not significantly reduce the amount of ¹²⁵I-insulin transported from the nose to the brain in vivo, which suggests that the impact of systemic absorption on drug transport is minimal. A linear relationship was seen between insulin accumulation in the brain and the dose applied, without any relevant saturation. Contrary to what was expected, both systemic and olfactory absorption of insulin was enhanced when the pH of the medium was near the isoelectric point. The amount absorbed to the brain was found to be linearly related to the net charge of the molecule (r = -0.61; n = 20). It was concluded that insulin gains access to the central nervous system from the olfactory region of the nose by a nonspecific pathway. The olfactory route may therefore become an important means to deliver peptides to the brain.     

Insulin dependent diabetes in children

We present our experience with twenty children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus admitted during the past 2 1/2 years. Sixteen patients were admited with acute onset of ketoacidosis while four were having gradual onset. Active and symptomatic treatment was started in all diabetic ketoacidotic patients. One patient died during the acute stage. Eleven patients were followed for 3–6 months or more. Glycosylated hemoglobin was considered as a criteria for control. Three had good control, two fair and six poor control; six developed diabetic ketoacidosis and three developed hypoglycemia     

血管内皮功能障碍对肥胖伴高血糖患者胰岛分泌功能的影响

目的　探讨血管内皮功能障碍对胰岛 β细胞分泌功能的影响。 　方法　正常体重(NW )组 81例 ,单纯肥胖 (Ob)组 14 0例 ,肥胖伴高血糖 (Ob HG)组 97例。测定体质指数 (BMI)、腰臀围比 (WHR)、血压、血脂、空腹血糖和胰岛素 (FBG和FIns)及餐后血糖和胰岛素 (2hBG和 2hIns)。采用稳态模式法评价胰岛素抵抗 (HOMA IR)和 β细胞功能 (HOMA β)。用高分辨率血管外超声测定肱动脉对血流介导的内皮依赖性血管扩张 (EDD)及硝酸甘油的扩张反应。　结果　与Ob组比较 ,Ob HG组WHR、血压、甘油三酯 (TG)、FIns、2hIns和HOMA IR等显著升高 ,HOMA β明显降低 ,并伴有EDD所标志的血管内皮功能显著下降。相关分析显示 ,β细胞功能与EDD在Ob HG组呈显著正相关 (r=0 2 5 9,P <0 0 5 ) ,在Ob组和NW组无显著相关。在对Ob HG组影响EDD的因素进行控制后 ,EDD仍与 β细胞功能显著相关 (r =0 4 5 8,P <0 0 1)。多元逐步回归分析表明影响 β细胞功能的主要因素在Ob HG组为FBG、FIns和EDD ,在Ob组为FBG和HOMA IR。　结论　内皮依赖性舒张功能障碍可能是导致肥胖者 β细胞功能衰退 ,引发 2型糖尿病 (T2DM )的重要危险因素。     

血清瘦素水平的影响因素及相关性分析

目的探讨血清瘦素水平的影响因素及相关性分析.方法从2003年3～8月门诊体验人群中随机抽取标本150人,并排除糖尿病及高血压,测定FBS、血脂水平、血清瘦素水平(LEP)、胰岛素水平(INS),瘦素、胰岛素测定均采用放射免疫方法.胰岛素敏感性以敏感指数(IAI)评价.结果血清瘦素水平女性明显高于男性;相关分析显示血清瘦素水平与性别(SEX)、年龄(AGE)、体重指数(BMI)、INS显著正相关(r分别为0.429,0.329,0.249,0.322,P＜0.05);与LOGIAI显著负相关(r=0.322,P＜0.05),与TC,TG无明显相关;在调整年龄、BMI后,多远逐步回归分析显示血清瘦素水平仍与INS,LOGIAI显著相关.结论血清瘦素水平与TC,TG均无相关,提示高脂血症患者血清瘦素水平与正常人群比较无明显改变;血清瘦素水平与LOGIAI负相关,高瘦素水平人群胰岛素敏感性降低、存在胰岛素抵抗,提示瘦素-胰岛素轴的存在,瘦素是胰岛素抵抗的一个独立危险因素.肥胖患者存在高瘦素血症、瘦素抵抗.如果能弄清瘦素、胰岛素抵抗、肥胖之间的相互作用关系及因果关系,可能对瘦素抵抗、胰岛素抵抗相关痰病的防治有一定的意义.     

Loss of insulin receptor immunoreactivity from the substantia nigra pars compacta neurons in Parkinson's disease

Immunohistochemistry using both a newly developed polyclonal, and a commercially available monoclonal, anti-insulin receptor antibody was done on the midbrain from cases of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, vascular parkinsonism and non-neurological controls. Both antibodies gave indentical patterns of neuronal staining. The neurons of the oculomotor nucleus were immunopositive in all the brains. However, the neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra, paranigral nucleus, parabrachial pigmental nucleus, tegmental pedunculopontine nucleus, supratrocheal nucleus, cuneiform nucleus, subcuneiform nucleus and lemniscus medialis, which were positive in other diseases and in non-neurological controls, were not stained by these antibodies in PD brains. These results suggest that, in PD, a dysfunction of the insulin/insulin receptor system may precede death of the dopaminergic neurons.The work in the Kinsmen Laboratory was supported by the MRC of Canada and the Parkinson Society of Canada     

Thromboplastin—sensitivity,precision and other characteristics

A more sensitive or higher concentration of rabbit brain thromboplastin does not result in greater accuracy and precision of results in oral anticoagulant therapy and is unable to mimic the PIVKA sensitivity of human brain. In terms of International Normalized Ratios the British Comparative Thromboplastin and Manchester Comparative Reagent (both now discontinued) and the Manchester Reagent had the poorest sensitivity to factor VII of all the reagents studied. It is not possible accurately to calibrate rabbit brain against human brain thromboplastin in the upper therapeutic range and beyond.     

胰岛素及其受体在肾缺血再灌注损伤中的作用

目的　探讨肾缺血再灌注 (IR)过程中胰岛素及其受体的作用。方法　采用钳夹肾动脉的方法建造急性缺血再灌注肾损伤模型。将大耳白兔分为对照组、单纯缺血再灌注组 (IR组 )、胰岛素处理组 (Ins+IR组 ) 3组 ,Ins+IR组再灌注的同时给予胰岛素溶液 (Ins3U/ kg.wt) ,而对照组和 IR组则给予等量生理盐水。测定各组动物的血糖、血清胰岛素水平及肾组织胰岛素受体高、低亲和力常数 (Kd1 ,Kd2 )和高、低亲和力受体最大结合容量(Bmax1 ,Bmax2 )。结果　缺血再灌注 2 h后 ,3组动物血糖值、血清胰岛素水平均较术前显著升高 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,IR组尤为显著 ,IR组 Kd1 、Kd2 、Bmax1 、Bmax2 均较对照组显著降低 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,Ins+IR组仅 Bmax2 较对照组显著降低 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;4 8h后 ,3组动物血糖值恢复至正常水平 ,对照组胰岛素水平恢复至正常水平 ,IR组也较 2 h时明显下降(P<0 .0 5 ) ,但仍明显高于对照组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,3组动物 Kd1 、Bmax1 值无差异 ,Ins+IR组 Bmax2 仍维持较低水平 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,Ins组 Kd2 明显高于对照组 (P<0 .0 5 )。结论　在肾 IR过程中 ,内源性胰岛素的作用减弱 ,外源性胰岛素对肾组织高亲和力受体位点无下降调节作用 ,但胰岛素可引起低亲和力受体数目的下调。胰岛素减轻 IR肾损伤的作用主要是