Effects of epinephrine, stress, and exercise on insulin secretion by the rat

Abstract

Rats were injected with guinea pig anti-insulin serum and 125I-labeled human serum albumin. After 45 min., inter-mittent electrical shocks were applied; epinephrine was injected sub-cutaneously; or the animals swam in tepid water. All animals were killed at 75 min. Compared with endogenous insulin secreted in control animals between 45 and 75 min., significantly less secretion was observed in the 3 groups of treated rats. Endogenous epinephrine released during stress or exercise is sufficient to suppress insulin secretion even under conditions of hyperglycemia.