Effects of Oxytocin Delivery on Counter-Regulatory Hormone Response in Insulin-Dependent (Type 1) Diabetic Subjects

Abstract

In insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetic subjects (n = 7) with intact hormone response to hypoglycaemia, oxytocin infusion (0.2 mU/min over 60 min) produced significant rises in basal plasma glucagon and adrenaline levels, while it reduced basal plasma cortisol levels. During insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, oxytocin potentiated the increases in plasma glucagon and adrenaline, while an inhibitory effect on plasma cortisol levels was still present. In insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetic subjects (n = 7) with blunted counter-regulatory hormone response to hypoglycaemia, the same dose of oxytocin (0.2 mU/min over 60 min) increased basal plasma glucose and glucagon concentrations and lowered basal plasma cortisol concentration. In the same group of patients, oxytocin delivery (0.2 mU/ min), simultaneously to an insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, produced a significant elevation of plasma glucagon and adrenaline concentrations thus enhancing glucose recovery from hypoglycaemia. In conclusion, in insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetic patients, oxytocin delivery enhances plasma glucagon and adrenaline levels in basal conditions and during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia.

The effects of oxytocin on eating behaviour and metabolism in humans

“…Furthermore, in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus, low fasting levels of oxytocin were associated with higher levels of glucose and insulin, both after fasting and after an oral glucose tolerance test, as well as higher HOMA-IR results and levels of HbA 1c 92 ; these findings suggest that diabetes mellitus could be a state of oxytocin deficiency. However, an experiment administering continuous intravenous infusion of oxytocin (0.2 IU/min) to patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus resulted in hyperglycaemia 112 , which is similar to findings with this dose and route of administration in healthy young men 111 .…”

“…Another study reported that continuous intravenous infusion of oxytocin (0.2 IU/min over 60 min) resulted in hyperglycaemia, accompanied by increased release of glucagon, insulin and adrenaline and reduced release of cortisol in healthy, young men aged 21-26 yrs 111 . Furthermore, in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, oxytocin infused intravenously at this dose attenuated the drop in levels of glucose, increased levels of glucagon and adrenaline and reduced cortisol levels 111,112 . Using a euglyceamic euinsulinaemic clamp, it was also shown that the same dose of intravenous oxytocin increased hepatic glucose output in healthy young men aged 22-28 yrs 113 .…”

Hypoglycemia-Induced Arginine Vasopressin and Oxytocin Release Is Mediated by Glucoreceptors Located Inside the Blood-Brain Barrier

“…On the other hand, elevated AVP and OT responses to hypoglycemia have been found in diabetics [25][26][27], Furthermore, posterior pituitary hormones are known to act as neuromodulators of other hormonal se cretions. For example, OT infusion enhances hypoglyce mia-induced glucagon and epinephrine secretions in type I diabetics with impaired counterregulation [28]. Therefore, in this clinical condition AVPand OT might be supposed to exert a counterregulatory role.…”

A new horizon: oxytocin as a novel therapeutic option for obesity and diabetes

“…In addition to regulating body weight balance, OXT seems to have a role in affecting glucose and insulin homeostasis, which can be hinted by early studies reporting that OXT promotes glucose uptake and stimulate insulin secretion [45–48]. Studies using pancreatic islets or intact pancreas showed that OXT stimulated insulin secretion independently of plasma glucose changes while it also stimulated pancreatic glucagon secretion [47], which might suggest an involvement of OXT in diabetology.…”