Effect of methylated prostaglandin E 2 analogue on insulin secretion in man

Abstract

Previous studies of the effect of E series prostaglandins /PGs/ on insulin secretion gave conflicting results in animals and little information in man. This study was designed to determine the effect of methylated PGE 2 analogue /15/S/-15-methyl PGE 2 methyl ester/, given orally, intraduodenally or intravenously, on insulin secretion, both under basal conditions and in response to intraduodenal or intravenous administration of glucose in 22 male volunteers. Methylated PGE 2 kept basal serum insulin level unchanged, but significantly reduced insulin response by 15 ± 6 μU/ml to intravenous glucose pulse injection /0.1 g/kg/ or by 45 ± 11 μU/ml to intraduodenal glucose infusion /0.5 g/kg-hr/. Blood glucose level was unaffected in tests with intraduodenal methylated PGE 2, but in tests with intravenous administration it was significantly reduced. These studies demonstrate that methylated PGE 2 analogue given orally, intraduodenally or intravenously results in a potent suppression of insulin response to glucose challenge.