Role of a negative arterial-portal venous glucose gradient in the postexercise state

Abstract

Prior exercise stimulates muscle and liver glucose uptake. A negative arterial-portal venous glucose gradient (a-pv grad) stimulates resting net hepatic glucose uptake (NHGU) but reduces muscle glucose uptake. This study investigates the effects of a negative a-pv grad during glucose administration after exercise in dogs. Experimental protocol: exercise (−180 to −30 min), transition (−30 to −20 min), basal period (−20 to 0 min), and experimental period (0 to 100 min). In the experimental period, 130 mg/dl arterial hyperglycemia was induced via vena cava (Pe, n = 6) or portal vein (Po, n = 6) glucose infusions. Insulin and glucagon were replaced at fourfold basal and basal rates. During the experimental period, the a-pv grad (mg/dl) was 3 ± 1 in Pe and −10 ± 2 in Po. Arterial insulin and glucagon were similar in the two groups. In Pe, net hepatic glucose balance (mg ⋅ kg−1⋅ min−1, negative = uptake) was 4.2 ± 0.3 (basal period) and −1.2 ± 0.3 (glucose infusion); in Po it was 4.1 ± 0.5 and −3.2 ± 0.4, respectively ( P < 0.005 vs. Pe). Total glucose infusion (mg ⋅ kg−1⋅ min−1) was 11 ± 1 in Po and 8 ± 1 in Pe ( P < 0.05). Net hindlimb and whole body nonhepatic glucose uptakes were similar. Conclusions: the portal signal independently stimulates NHGU after exercise. Conversely, prior exercise eliminates the inhibitory effect of the portal signal on glucose uptake by nonhepatic tissues. The portal signal therefore increases whole body glucose disposal after exercise by an amount equal to the increase in NHGU.