A novel approach to monitor glucose metabolism using stable isotopically labelled glucose in longitudinal studies in mice

Abstract

The aetiology of insulin resistance is still an enigma. Mouse models are frequently employed to study the underlying pathology. The most commonly used methods to monitor insulin resistance are the HOMA-IR, glucose or insulin tolerance tests and the hyperinsulinemic euglycaemic clamp (HIEC). Unfortunately, these tests disturb steady state glucose metabolism. Here we describe a method in which blood glucose kinetics can be determined in fasted mice without noticeably perturbing glucose homeostasis. The method involves an intraperitoneal injection of a trace amount of [6,6-2H2]glucose and can be performed repeatedly in individual mice. The validity and performance of this novel method was tested in mice fed on chow or high-fat diet for a period of five weeks. After administering the mice with [6,6-2H2]glucose, decay of the glucose label was followed in small volumes of blood collected by tail tip bleeding during a 90-minute period. The total amount of blood collected was less than 120 μL. This novel approach confirmed in detail the well-known increase in insulin resistance induced by a high-fat diet. The mice showed reduced glucose clearance rate, and reduced hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity. To compensate for this insulin resistance, β-cell function was slightly increased. We conclude that this refinement of existing methods enables detailed information of glucose homeostasis in mice. Insulin resistance can be accurately determined while mechanistic insight is obtained in underlying pathology. In addition, this novel approach reduces the number of mice needed for longitudinal studies of insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.