We have investigated changes in insulin binding in erythrocytes in response to overnight ingestion of 1 mg dexamethasone or 10 mg of prednisone in two groups of eight lean, healthy subjects. Dexamethasone administration reduced insulin binding from 9.6 to 6.8% (P <0.001) with concomitant increase in basal plasma insulin from 10.5 to 14.1 μU/ml (P <0.05). Prednisone ingestion reduced insulin binding from 9.9 to 7.9% (P <0.01), but the increase in basal insulin from 16.9 to 20.6 μU/ml was not significantly different. The decrease in insulin binding with both dexamethasone and prednisone was associated with decreased affinity of erythrocyte for insulin at low occupancy and the increase in the dose of unlabeled insulin resulted in 50% inhibition of specific binding without changes in the number of receptors. The earliest decrease in insulin binding was noted within 2 h after ingestion of 1 mg of dexamethasone. These data suggest that acute alteration of insulin receptor function could occur in erythrocytes by small amounts of dexamethasone or prednisone through a mechanism consistent with a decrease in receptor affinity rather than a decrease in the number of receptors.
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Original Contributions|
October 01 1980
Decreased Insulin Binding of Human Erythrocytes After Dexamethasone or Prednisone Ingestion
Keigo Yasuda;
Keigo Yasuda
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, and the Clinical Research Center, The University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences
Memphis, Tennessee 38163
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Abbas E Kitabchi
Abbas E Kitabchi
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, and the Clinical Research Center, The University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences
Memphis, Tennessee 38163
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Address reprint requests to Dr. Abbas E. Kitabchi, 951 Court Avenue, Rm. 327B, Memphis, Tennessee 38163.
Citation
Keigo Yasuda, Abbas E Kitabchi; Decreased Insulin Binding of Human Erythrocytes After Dexamethasone or Prednisone Ingestion. Diabetes 1 October 1980; 29 (10): 811–814. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.20.10.811
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