Plasma glucose kinetics and tissue uptake in brown trout in vivo: effect of an intravascular glucose load

Abstract

The object of the present study was to elucidate whether a glucose load modifies glucose uptake by tissues in brown trout in vivo. By the use of 2-[1,2-3H]-deoxyglucose, plasma glucose disappearance rate and tissue glucose uptake were measured after an intraaortic glucose load of 500 mg·kg-1 (glucose load group) and under normoglycemic conditions (control). We also attempted to determine whether fasting modifies the glucose load disposal (fasted glucose load group). The procedure used to calculate 2-deoxyglucose uptake by tissues was evaluated, and the levels of 2-deoxyglucose uptake were compared with those of 2-deoxyglucose phosphorylation. Uptake and phosphorylation rates were similar in all tissues, except in brain and heart. In all the groups glucose uptake rates were highest in spleen, kidney, brain and gills, and lowest in red muscle, heart and white muscle. However, white muscle was the main site of glucose uptake on a whole tissue basis. The glucose load led to strong, long-lasting hyperglycemia, in spite of the increases observed in plasma insulin levels and in glucose uptake rate by the whole body (control: 4.9 μmol·min-1·kg-1; glucose load group: 6.5 μmol·min-1·kg-1). This higher rate was due to the higher glucose uptake only in white and red muscles (four- and threefold, respectively). Fasting halved the uptake of glucose by both red and white muscles in the load condition. In consequence the use of exogenous glucose decreased with fasting (fasted glucose load group: 5.1 μmol·min-1·kg-1), causing still longer hyperglycemia.