Journal of Animal Science, Vol 71, Issue 12 3414-3422, Copyright © 1993 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Plasma insulin and glucagon responses to intravenous infusion of propionate and their autonomic control in sheep

H. Sano, N. Hattori, Y. Todome, J. Tsuruoka, H. Takahashi and Y. Terashima
Faculty of Animal Science, Kitasato University, Towada-shi, Japan.

Propionate (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 mumol.kg BW-1 x min-1 for 30 min) was infused i.v. to investigate the physiological effects of propionate on insulin and glucagon responses in sheep. An i.v. propionate infusion (32 mumol.kg BW-1 x min-1 for 30 min) with adrenergic and cholinergic blockades was also conducted to clarify the role of autonomic innervation in the control of propionate-induced insulin and glucagon responses. In the experiment in which we studied responses to propionate infusion, the concentrations of plasma insulin and glucagon during propionate infusion increased (P < .05) from the preinfusion concentrations at infusion rates of > 4 and 8 mumol.kg BW-1 x min-1, respectively. The incremental response areas of plasma insulin and glucagon during propionate infusion increased (P < .05) at infusion rates of > 16 and 32 mumol.kg BW-1 x min-1, respectively. In the experiment studying the effects of adrenergic and cholinergic blockades on responses to propionate, the insulin incremental response area during propionate infusion was suppressed (P < .05) by atropine infusion but it was not influenced by phentolamine, propranolol, or hexamethonium infusions. The glucagon response area was suppressed (P < .05) by phentolamine infusion, but it was not influenced by propranolol, atropine, or hexamethonium infusions. It is concluded that in sheep 1) propionate may have a physiological role in stimulating insulin and glucagon responses, 2) the propionate-induced insulin response is partly due to the parasympathetic nervous system through activation of a muscarinic receptor, and 3) the propionate-induced glucagon response is stimulated by adrenergic alpha-receptors.

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