The effects of acute and chronic dexamethasone administration on insulin binding to isolated rat hepatocytes and adipocytes.

In an effort to determine the possible relationship between changes in insulin-receptor binding and the glucocorticoid-induced insulin-resistant state, we studied insulin binding to specific receptors located on isolated adipocytes and hepatocytes obtained from dexamethasone (D)-treated rats. Three groups of D-treated rats were studied: (1) acute high-dose treatment (1.5 mg/kg/6 days), (2) acute low-dose treatment (0.125 mg/kg/6 days), and (3) chronic low-dose treatment (0.125 mg/kg/21 days). When insulin binding to isolated hepatocytes was studied, we found that binding to isolated hepatocytes was studied, we found that binding was only 30%-50% of control values when cells from the D-treated animals were used. This decrease in binding was greatest for cells from the acute high-dose group, indicating a dose-response effect, and least for cells from the chronic group, suggesting a tendency toward return of insulin-receptor binding during chronic treatment. When insulin binding to isolated adipocytes was studied, binding was 50%-60% of control values when cells from both acute D-treated groups were used. While the magnitude of the decrease in insulin binding was not as great as that seen with hepatocytes, the decrease was still greatest using cells from the acute high-dose group as compared to the acute low-dose group. Thus, a dose-response effect was suggested in both tissues. On the other hand, the effects of chronic D treatment on insulin binding were strikingly different in the two cell systems. After chronic D treatment, insulin binding to adipocytes returned to near-normal levels, while a 55% decrease in binding to hepatocytes persisted. Thus, the tendency toward return of insulin binding after chronic D treatment seen with hepatocytes was almost fully expressed by adipocytes. This might be related to the amelioration of the corticosteroid-induced insulin-resistant state which has been reported after chronic corticosteroid administration to humans. In conclusion, (1) a decrease in insulin binding is associated with corticosteroid excess, and it is possible that this decreased binding is related to the insulin resistance which results from corticosteroid administration; (2) the return of insulin binding toward normal after chronic D treatment could well be related to the improvement in insulin resistance seen during chronic corticosteroid administration to humans; and (3) the difference in effects of chronic D treatment on insulin binding to hepatocytes versus adipocytes indicates that changes in insulin binding can be tissue specific.