Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion: Effects of high-fat diet and acute stress

Background: One of the major topics in modern societies is the study of relationships between diet, stress and incidence of metabolic disorders. Aim: This study aimed to investigate possible impairment in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion induced by a high-fat (cow intra-abdominal fat) diet in response to acute stress. Materials and methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into high-fat and normal diet groups and each group was further divided into stress and control subgroups. Stress was induced by a communication box. Plasma levels of glucose, insulin and corticosterone were measured in both diet groups. Glucose tolerance, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated islets, food and energy intake as well as body weight were also evaluated. Results: In the normal diet group, physical stress increased plasma glucose concentra-tions. In both diet groups, plasma corticosterone levels increased after stress. HOMA-IR index decreased in high-fat fed rats. Food intake decreased while energy intake increased in the high-fat diet rats. Body weight in both diet groups increased in a similar manner. The high-fat diet did not affect insulin secretion; however, stress decreased insulin secretion from isolated islets of both diet groups. Only in the high fat diet group did physical stress increase insulin secretion at 16.7 mM glucose. Conclusions: The cow intra-abdominal fat, did not affect either plasma glucose and insulin concentrations or glucose-induced insulin secretion. Interestingly, it seems that the high-fat diet enabled the islets of the physically stressed rats to secrete more insulin in response to high glucose concentrations.