Adrenergic regulation of glucagon and insulin secretion during immobilization stress in normal and spontaneously diabetic BB rats

To test for a possible role of adrenergic mechanisms in the altered glucagon secretion in the spontaneously diabetic "BB" rat, the responses of glucose, insulin, and glucagon to adrenergic blocking agents in diabetic and normal rats were compared at rest and during 2 h of immobilization stress. In unstressed normal rats, phentolamine alone caused a 20 mg/dl fall in glycemia, 1.2 ng/ml rise in insulin (IRI), and no change in glucagon (IRG), whereas the only effect of propranolol was a minor rise in glycemia. Stress caused increments in glycemia of 72 mg/dl and in IRG of 94 pg/ml, and no change in IRI. Phentolamine significantly attenuated the stress-related increments, and IRI increased by the same amount as in the unstressed state. Propranolol exhibited no statistically significant effects on the response to stress. These findings are consistent with alpha-adrenergic stimulation of IRG and suppression of IRI secretion. In unstressed diabetic rats (mean time 0 glycemia, 431 mg/dl), propranolol caused only a small rise in glycemia, whereas phentolamine induced marked increments of glycemia (131 mg/dl) and IRG (116 pg/ml). Stress alone did likewise (189 mg/dl, 122 pg/ml) as did stress with the phentolamine (271 mg/dl, 144 pg/ml). However propranolol significantly attenuated the stress-induced increments in glycemia (88 mg/dl) and IRG (82 pg/ml). Thus both alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors influence IRG secretion in the diabetic rats. An in vivo model for elucidating neural control of glucoregulation has been developed that is independent of cardiovascular fitness.