The β2-receptor mediates the metabolic response to epinephrine. This study investigates the impact of the β2-receptor gene (ADRB2) polymorphism Gly16Arg on the metabolic response to epinephrine before and after repetitive hypoglycemia.

Twenty-five healthy male subjects selected according to ADRB2 genotype being homozygous for either Gly16 (GG; n=12) or Arg16 (AA; n=13) participated in 4 trial days (D1-4), D1pre and D4post with epinephrine 0.06 ug kg-1 min-1 infusion, and D2hypo1-2 and D3hypo3 with three periods of hypoglycemia by an insulin-glucose clamp.

At D1pre the insulin (44 ± 8 vs. 93 ± 13 pmol l-1 h; P = 0.0051) and glycerol (79 ± 12 vs. 115 ± 14 µmol l-1 h; P = 0.041) and free fatty acids (FFA) (724 ± 96 vs. 1113 ± 140 µmol l-1 h; P = 0.033) responses (mean ± SEM of area under the curve) to epinephrine were decreased in AA subjects compared to GG subjects but without difference in glucose response. There were no difference in response to epinephrine between genotype groups after repetitive hypoglycemia at D4post.

The metabolic substrate response to epinephrine is decreased in AA subjects compared to GG subjects, but without difference between genotype groups after repetitive hypoglycemia.

Article Highlights

  • This study investigates the impact of the β2-receptor gene (ADRB2) polymorphism Gly16Arg on the metabolic response to epinephrine before and after repetitive hypoglycemia.

  • Healthy male subjects being homozygous for either Gly16 (GG; n=12) or Arg16 (AA; n=13) participated in the study.

  • Healthy people with the GG genotype have increased metabolic response to epinephrine, compared to the AA genotype, but without difference between genotype groups after repetitive hypoglycemia.

This article contains supplementary material online at https://doi.org/10.2337/figshare.22242586.

This content is only available via PDF.
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. More information is available at https://www.diabetesjournals.org/content/license.

Article PDF first page preview

Article PDF first page preview
You do not currently have access to this content.