Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Circulating Glucagon Components: Significance in Health and Disease

  • Conference paper
GLUCAGON: Its Role in Physiology and Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Plasma immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) represents a family of compounds with different molecular weights. Although the physiologic role of these fractions is largely unknown, their relative abundance may vary under different physiologic and pathologic conditions. This paper describes the pattern of IRG components in normal subjects and in patients with renal failure, diabetes mellitus, glucagonoma and other conditions. The role of the kidneys and of the liver in the metabolism of glucagon is reviewed and discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Alford, F. P., Bloom, S. R., Nabarro, J. D. N. (1976): Glucagon metabolism in man. Studies on the metabolic clearance rate and plasma acute disappearance time of glucagon in normal and diabetic subjects. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab. 42, 830–838.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Assan, R. (1972): In vivo metabolism of glucagon. In: Glucagon: Molecular Physiology, Clinical and Therapeutic Implications. P. J. Lefebvre and R. H. Unger, Eds. Pergamon Press Ltd., Oxford, pp. 47–49.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Assan, R., Tchobroutsky, G. and Gross, G. (1971): Abstract, Meet. Europ. Assoc. Study of Diabetes, Southampton, September 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Baba, S., Morita, S., Mizuno, N. and Okada, K. (1976): Autoimmunity to glucagon in a diabetic not on insulin. Lancet 2, 585.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bastl, C., Finkelstein, F. 0., Sherwin, R. S., Felig, P. and Hayslett, J. (1975): Mechanism of hyperglucagonemia in renal failure. Abstract, 8th Meet. Amer. Soc. Nephrol., p. 59.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bilbrey, G. L., Faloona, G. R., White, M. G., Atkins, C., Hull, A. R. and Knochel, I. P. (1975): Hyperglucagonemia in uremia: reversal by renal transplantation. Ann. Int. Med. 82, 525–528.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bilbrey, G. L., Faloona, G. R., White, M. G. and Knochel, J. P. (1974): Hyperglucagonemia of renal failure. J. Clin. Invest. 53, 841–847.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Blackard, W. G., Nelson, N. C. and Andrews, S. S. (1974): Portal and peripheral vein immunoreactive glucagon concentrations after arginine or glucose infusions. Diabetes 23, 199–202.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Buchanan, K. D., Solomon, S. S., Vance, J. E., Porter, H. and Williams, R. M. (1968): Glucagon clearance by the isolated perfused rat liver. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 128, 620–623.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Buchanan, K. D., Vance, J. E., Dinstl, K. and Williams, R. H. (1969): Effect of blood glucose on glucagon secretion in anaesthetized dogs. Diabetes 18, 11–18.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Cresto, J., Lavine, R., Perrino, P. and Recant, L. (1974): Glucagon antibodies in diabetic patients. Lancet 1, 1165.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Danforth, D. N., Triche, T., Doppman, J. C., Beazley, R. M., Perrino, P. V. and Recant, L. (1976): Elevated plasma proglucagon-like component with a glucagon secreting tumor: effects of streptozotocin. New Engl. J. Med. 295, 242–245.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Dencker, M., Hedner, P., Hoist, J. and Tranberg, K.-G. (1975): Pancreatic glucagon response to an ordinary meal. Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 10, 471–474.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Duckworth, W. C., Heinemann, M. and Goessling, M. (1976): Enzymatic mechanisms for insulin and glucagon degradation by kidney. Clin. Res. 24, 359A.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Emmanouel, D. S., Jaspan, J. B., Kuku, S. F., Rubenstein, A. H. and Katz, A. I. (1976): Pathogenesis and characterization of hyperglucagonemia in the uremic rat. J. Clin. Invest. 58, 1266–1272.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Felig, P., Gusberg, R., Hendler, R., Gump, F. and Kinney, T. (1974): Con-centrations of glucagon and the insulin:glucagon ratio in the portal and peripheral circulation. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 147, 88–90.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Field, J. B., Bloom, G., Petruska, M., Brosnin, K. and Chou, C. (1976): Effects of stimulation of insulin and glucagon secretion on hepatic glucose production, insulin/glucagon ratio and hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon. Clin. Res. 24, 485A.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Fischer, M., Sherwin, R. S., Hendler, R. and Felig, P. (1976): Kinetics of glucagon in man: effects of starvation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 73, 1735–1739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Goldner, M. G., Jauregui, R. M. and Weisenfeld, S. (1954): Disappearance of HGF from insulin after liver perfusion. Am. J. Physiol. 179, 25–28.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Jaspan, J. B. Kuku, S. F., Lucker, J. D., Huen, A. H-J, Emmanouel, D. S., Katz, A. I. and Rubenstein, A. H. (1976): Heterogeneity of plasma glucagon in man. Metabolism 25 (Suppl. 1), 1397–1401.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Katz, A. I. and Rubenstein, A. H. (1973): Metabolism of proinsulin, insulin, and C-peptide in the rat. J. Clin. Invest. 52, 1113–1121.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kuku, S. F., Jaspan, J. B., Emmanouel, D. S., Zeidler, A., Katz, A. I. and Rubenstein, A. H. (1976): Heterogeneity of plasma glucagon: circulating components in normal subjects and patients with chronic renal failure. J. Clin. Invest. 58, 742–750.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kuku, S. F., Zeidler, A., Emmanouel, D. S., Katz, A. I., Rubenstein, A. H., Levin, N. W. and Tello, A. (1976): Heterogeneity of plasma glucagon: patterns in patients with chronic renal failure and diabetes. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 42, 173–176.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lefèbvre, P. J. and Luyckx, A. S. (1975): Effect of acute kidney exclusion by ligation of renal arteries on peripheral plasma glucagon levels and pancreatic glucagon production in the anesthetized dog. Metabolism 24, 1169–1176.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Lefèbvre, P. J. and Luyckx, A. S. (1976): Plasma glucagon after kidney exclusion. Experiments in somatostatin infused and in eviscerated dogs. Metabolism 25, 761–768.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Lefèbvre, P. J., Luyckx, A. S. and Nizet, A. H. (1974): Renal handling of endogenous glucagon in the dog: comparison with insulin. Metab. Clin. Exp. 23, 753–761.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Leichter, S. B., Pagliara, A. S., Greider, M. M., Pohl, S., Rosai, J. and Kipnis, D. M. (1975): Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and hyperglucagonemia associated with an islet cell carcinoma. Am. J. Med. 58, 285–293.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Liljenquist, J. E., Chiasson, J. L., Cherrington, A. D., Keller, U., Jennings, A. S., Bomboy, J. D. and Lacy, W. W. (1976): An important role for glucagon in the regulation of glucose production in vivo. Metabolism 25_ (Suppl. 1 ), 1371.

    Google Scholar 

  29. McGavran, M. H., Unger, R. H., Recant, L., Polk, H. C., Kilo, C. and Levin, M. E. (1966): A glucagon secreting alpha cell carcinoma of the pancreas. New Engl. J. Med. 274, 1408–1413.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Mallinson, C. N., Bloom, S. R., Warin, A. P., Salmon, P. R., Cox, B. (1974): A glucagonoma syndrome. Lancet 2, 1–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Marco, J., Diego, J., Villaneuva, M., Dizz-Ferros, M., Valverde, I. and Segovia, J. (1973): Elevated glucagon levels in cirrhosis of the liver. New Engl. J. Med. 289, 1107–1111.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Narahara, H. T., Everett, N. B., Simmons, B. S. and Williams, R. H. (1958): Metabolism of insulin-I131 and glucagon-I131 in the kidney of the rat. Am. J. Physiol. 192, 227–231.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Palmer, J. P., Werner, L., Benson, J. W. and Ensinck, J. W. (1976): Dominant inheritance of large molecular weight immunoreactive glucagon. Diabetes 25 (Suppl. 1), 326.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Recant, L., Perrino, P. V., Bhathena, S. J., Danforth, U. N. and Lavine, R. L. (1976): Plasma immunoreactive glucagon fractions in four cases of glucagonoma. Increased “large glucagon-immunoreactivity”. Diabetologia 12, 319–326.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Sherwin, R. S., Bastl, C., Finkelstein, F. O., Fisher, M., Black, H., Hendler, R. and Felig, P. (1976): Influence of uremia and hemodialysis on the turnover and metabolic effects of glucagon. J. Clin. Invest. 57, 722–731.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Sherwin, R. S., Joshi, P., Hendler, R., Felig, P. and Conn. H. (1974): Hyperglucagonemia in Laennec’s cirrhosis. The role of portal systemic shunting. New Engl. J. Med. 290, 239–242.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Soeters, P., Weir, G., Ebeid, A. M., James, J. H. and Fischer, J. E. (1975): Insulin and glucagon following porto-caval shunt. Gastroenterology 69, A-67, 867.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Srikant, C. B., McCorkle, K. and Dobbs, R. E. (1976): A biologically active “macro-‘glucagon’ (IRG)” in glucagon secreting tissues of the dog. Diabetes 25 (Suppl. 1), 326.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Stahl, M., Nars, P. W., Herz, G., Baumann, J. B. and Girard, J. (1972): Glucagon antibodies after long term insulin treatment in a diabetic child. Horm. Metab. Res. 4, 224–225.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Thomsen, H. G. (1971): Insulin treatment does not induce glucagon antibodies. Horm. Metab. Res. 3, 57.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Unger, R. H., Ohneda, A., Valverde, I., Eisentraut, A. M. and Exton, J. H. (1968): Characterization of the responses of circulating glucagon-like immunoreactivity to intraduodenal administration of glucose. J. Clin. Invest. 47, 48–65.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Valverde, I., Dobbs, R. and Unger, R. H. (1975): Heterogeneity of plasma glucagon immunoreactivity in normal, depancreatized and alloxan-diabetic dogs. Metabolism 24, 1021–1028.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Valverde, I., Lemon, H. M., Kessinger, A. and Unger, R. H. (1976): Distribution of plasma glucagon immunoreactivity in a patient with suspected glucagonoma. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 42, 804–808.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Valverde, I., Villaneuva, M. L., Lozano, I. and Marco, J. (1974): Presence of glucagon immunoreactivity in the globulin fraction of human plasma (“Big Plasma Glucagon”). J. CIin.Endocrinol. Metab. 39, 1090–1098.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Villalpando, S. and Drash, A. (1976): Circulating glucagon antibodies in childhood diabetes, clinical significance and characterization. Diabetes 25 (Suppl. 1), 334.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Weir, G. C., Horton, E. S., Aoki, T., Slovik, D. M., Jaspan, J. B. and Rubenstein, A. H. Secretion by glucagonoma of a possible glucagon precursor. J. Clin. Invest. In press.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Weir, G. C., Knowlton, S. D. and Martin, D. B. (1975): High molecular weight glucagon-like immunoreactivity in plasma. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 40, 296–302.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Williams, R. M., Hay, J. S. and Tjaden, M. (1959): Degradation of insulin-131I and glucagon-131I and factors influencing it. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 74, 513–529.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Yoshinanga, T., Okuno, 6., Shinji, Y., Tsujii, T., Nishikawa, M. (1966): Pancreatic alpha cell tumor associated with severe diabetes mellitus. Diabetes 15, 709–713.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    J. B. Jaspan, A. H-J. Huen, B. Gonen & A. H. Rubenstein

Authors
  1. J. B. Jaspan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. H-J. Huen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B. Gonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. H. Rubenstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 48201, Detroit, Michigan, USA

    Piero P. Foà

  2. Department of Medicine, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110016, New Delhi, India

    Jasbir S. Bajaj

  3. Department of Research, Sinai Hospital of Detroit, 48235, Detroit, Michigan, USA

    Naomi L. Foà

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1977 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this paper

Cite this paper

Jaspan, J.B., Huen, A.HJ., Gonen, B., Rubenstein, A.H. (1977). Circulating Glucagon Components: Significance in Health and Disease. In: Foà, P.P., Bajaj, J.S., Foà, N.L. (eds) GLUCAGON: Its Role in Physiology and Clinical Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-6366-1_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-6366-1_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-6368-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-6366-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation