Mononuclear leukocytes from obese patients with type II diabetes have reduced activity of hexokinase, 6-phosphofructokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

In the present study we measured the activity of some cytosolic enzymes involved in intracellular glucose metabolism in mononuclear leukocytes from 77 obese subjects of which 39 were nondiabetic and 38 had newly-diagnosed untreated type II diabetes mellitus. 28 subjects (19 nondiabetic and 18 diabetic) had also a study of insulin binding to monocytes. 35 subjects (14 nondiabetic, 21 diabetic) underwent an insulin tolerance test for the evaluation of in vivo insulin action.

Influence of body fat and its regional localization on risk factors for atherosclerosis in young men.

A study was carried out in 1988 in Verona, Italy, to examine the relation of body fat and its localization to several risk factors for atherosclerosis in young men. Total body fat (bioelectrical impedance), waist and hip circumferences, and waist/hip circumference ratio were measured in 1,293 18-year-old men. Fasting serum levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, were also measured.

Studies on the mechanism of action of sulphonylureas in type II diabetic subjects: gliquidone.

The mechanism of action of sulphonylureas is not completely understood. In the present study we evaluated the effects of gliquidone, a second-generation compound, on several metabolic parameters in 22 patients with untreated newly-diagnosed type II (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. After either 1 or 6 months of treatment with gliquidone plus isocaloric diet we observed: 1) a significant decrease in fasting plasma glucose and glycemic profile after oral glucose load; 2) unchanged fasting and postglucose plasma insulin levels; 3) no change in fasting C-peptide levels but a significant increase in C-peptide concentrations after glucose challenge; 4) a significant increase in glucose disappearance rate from plasma following iv insulin injection; 5) an increase in the insulin-induced reduction of plasma levels of free-fatty acids; 6) no change in plasma C-peptide levels following iv insulin injection; 7) a significant increase in specific insulin binding to monocytes.

Normal inhibition by somatostatin of glucose-stimulated B cell secretion in the obese subjects.

Aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the inhibitory effect of somatostatin on pancreatic B-cell secretion is normal in nondiabetic obese subjects. For this purpose plasma C-peptide concentrations were measured in 10 nondiabetic obese subjects and 10 nonobese healthy controls during a 4-h hyperglycemic (11 mmol/l) glucose clamp. Somatostatin was infused (2.

Plasma free fatty acid concentration during hyperglycemic glucose clamp with and without somatostatin infusion in obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance.

In the present study we evaluated the regulation of plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration by glucose and insulin in human obesity. To this purpose we measured plasma FFA concentration in normoglycemic, normoinsulinemic obese (n = 8) and nonobese (n = 8) healthy subjects during 240 min of exogenous hyperglycemia (hyperglycemic glucose clamp) in presence of both glucose-stimulated (0-120 min and 180-240 min) and somatostatin-inhibited (120-180 min) insulin secretion. We found that plasma FFA curves were roughly parallel in the 0-120 min period and FFA values of obese subjects were constantly higher throughout the experimental period.