Prevention of Growth Hormone-Induced Diabetes in Hypophysectomized Dogs by Adrenocortical Steroids.

Abstract

Continued admn. of cortisone or hydrocortisone regimens, in dosages (0.83-1.2 mg.Ag./day) sufficient to restore the carbohydrate metabolism of adrenalectomized dogs to normal, completely abolished the insulin hypersensitivity, secondary hypoglycemia of the glucose tolerance test, and epinephrine resistance of hypophysectomized dogs without the production of insulin resistance, diabetes, or abnormally high epinephrine responses. Growth hormone, when admd. alone in daily dosages of 1 mg.Ag., also abolishes the insulin hypersensitivity of hypophysectomized dogs, but in turn produces diabetes and insulin resistance. Continued daily admn. of such a potent "diabetogenic" growth hormone (1.0-1.5 mg.Ag./day) in conjunction with the cortisone or hydrocortisone regimens did not alter the carbohydrate metabolism of the hypophysectomized dogs previously observed on the steroid regimens alone, i.e., it remained normal as judged by the above criteria. The insulin resistance, diabetes, and toxic manifestations produced by this growth hormone regimen alone were not observed during combined adrenocortical steroid-growth hormone regimens and thus, a more prolonged period of growth hormone admn. was made possible.