Early Insulin Synergistic Activity of Growth Hormone

Abstract

Intravenous injection of growth hormone to the intact rat (0.2 mg./100 gm.) causes significant reduction in the blood sugar within twenty minutes of injection. To determine the influence of CH upon insulin destruction, BGH was injected into intact animals and the animals were sacrificed ten minutes later with removal and incubation of kidney and liver slices in I-131-insulin. There resulted a marked reduction in the rate of insulin degradation. In addition, kidney slices and hemidiaphragms obtained from animals injected with BGH ten minutes previously demonstrated enhanced sensitivity to the in vitro effect of insulin upon glucose uptake and glycogen content. These observations allow the suggestion that the early hypoglycemic activity of growth hormone may be mediated by a transitory impairment of insulin degradation with consequent metabolic effects upon specific tissues.