Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1968 Dec;47(12):2701–2710. doi: 10.1172/JCI105953

Toxic effects of glucagon-induced acute lipid mobilization in geese

John C Hoak 1,2, William E Connor 1,2, Emory D Warner 1,2
PMCID: PMC297441  PMID: 5725281

Abstract

The toxic effects associated with rapid lipid mobilization and a high plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration produced by glucagon were evaluated. Glucagon (0.5 mg/kg of body wt) was injected intravenously into nonfasting geese. The geese developed rapid respirations and high plasma FFA levels within 15 min after the glucagon injection; three of eleven died. Control geese, injected with saline, did not exhibit toxic signs. Peak FFA concentrations developed 15 min after glucagon and high levels persisted for over 90 min. Geese injected with glucagon frequently developed electrocardiographic abnormalities that included supraventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions, and signs of myocardial ischemia. Light and electron microscopy revealed acute myocardial degeneration and fatty infiltration of the liver. The increase in plasma FFA concentrations and toxic effects were not prevented by pretreatment with nicotinic acid or propranolol.

Full text

PDF
2701

Images in this article

2702Image
on p.2702
2703Image
on p.2703
2704Image
on p.2704
2705Image
on p.2705
2706Image
on p.2706
2707Image
on p.2707
2708Image
on p.2708

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BJOERNTORP P., ELLS H. A., BRADFORD R. H. ALBUMIN ANTAGONISM OF FATTY ACID EFFECTS ON OXIDATION AND PHOSPHORYLATION REACTIONS IN RAT LIVER MITOCHONDRIA. J Biol Chem. 1964 Jan;239:339–344. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BRAGDON J. H., GORDON R. S., Jr Tissue distribution of C14 after the intravenous injection of labeled chylomicrons and unesterified fatty acids in the rat. J Clin Invest. 1958 Apr;37(4):574–578. doi: 10.1172/JCI103640. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CARLSON L. A., LILJEDAHL S. O. Lipid metabolism and trauma. II. Studies on the effect of nicotinic acid on norepinephrine induced fatty liver. Acta Med Scand. 1963 Jun;173:787–791. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CARLSON L. A., LILJEDAHL S. O., VERDY M., WIRSEN C. UNRESPONSIVENESS TO THE LIPID MOBILIZING ACTION OF CATECHOLAMINES IN VIVO AND VITRO IN THE DOMESTIC FOWL. Metabolism. 1964 Mar;13:227–231. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(64)90102-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. CARLSON L. A., LILJEDAHL S. O., WIRSEN C. BLOOD AND TISSUE CHANGES IN THE DOG DURING AND AFTER EXCESSIVE FREE FATTY ACID MOBILIZATION. A BIOCHEMICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY. Acta Med Scand. 1965 Jul;178:81–102. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1965.tb04253.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DOLE V. P. A relation between non-esterified fatty acids in plasma and the metabolism of glucose. J Clin Invest. 1956 Feb;35(2):150–154. doi: 10.1172/JCI103259. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. FEIGELSON E. B., PFAFF W. W., KARMEN A., STEINBERG D. The role of plasma free fatty acids in development of fatty liver. J Clin Invest. 1961 Dec;40:2171–2179. doi: 10.1172/JCI104443. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. GORDON R. S., Jr Unesterified fatty acid in human blood plasma. II. The transport function of unesterified fatty acid. J Clin Invest. 1957 Jun;36(6 Pt 1):810–815. doi: 10.1172/JCI103486. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Goodridge A. G., Ball E. G. Studies on the metabolism of adipose tissue. 18. In vitro effects of insulin, epinephrine and glucagon on lipolysis and glycolysis in pigeon adipose tissue. Comp Biochem Physiol. 1965 Dec;16(4):367–381. doi: 10.1016/0010-406x(65)90303-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Grande F. Effect of glucagon on plasma free fatty acids and blood sugar in birds. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1968 Jun;128(2):532–536. doi: 10.3181/00379727-128-33059. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. HAGEN J. H. Effect of glucagon on the metabolism of adipose tissue. J Biol Chem. 1961 Apr;236:1023–1027. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. HEALD P. J., ROOKLEDGE K. A. EFFECT OF AVIAN PITUITARY PREPARATIONS ON THE PLASMA FREE FATTY ACIDS OF THE RABBIT AND THE DOMESTIC FOWL. Nature. 1964 Apr 25;202:395–395. doi: 10.1038/202395a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. HOAK J. C., CONNOR W. E., ECKSTEIN J. W., WARNER E. D. FATTY ACID-INDUCED THROMBOSIS AND DEATH: MECHANISMS AND PREVENTION. J Lab Clin Med. 1964 May;63:791–800. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. HOAK J. C., POOLE J. C., ROBINSON D. S. THROMBOSIS ASSOCIATED WITH MOBILIZATION OF FATTY ACIDS. Am J Pathol. 1963 Dec;43:987–998. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Heald P. J., McLachlan P. M., Rookledge K. A. The effects of insulin, glucagon and adrenocorticotrophic hormone on the plasma glucose and free fatty acids of the domestic fowl. J Endocrinol. 1965 Aug;33(1):83–95. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0330083. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. KARMEN A. A note on the spectrometric assay of glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase in human blood serum. J Clin Invest. 1955 Jan;34(1):131–133. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kurien V. A., Oliver M. F. Serum-free-fatty-acids after acute myocardial infarction and cerebral vascular occlusion. Lancet. 1966 Jul 16;2(7455):122–127. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(66)92420-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. LAURELL S. Distribution of C14 in rats after intravenous injection of non-esterified palmitic acid-1-C14. Acta Physiol Scand. 1959 Jun 24;46:97–106. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1959.tb01739.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. LIPSETT M. B., ENGEL H. R., BERGENSTAL D. M. Effects of glucagon on plasma unesterified fatty acids and in nitrogen metabolism. J Lab Clin Med. 1960 Sep;56:342–354. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lefebvre P. Glucagon et taux sanguin des acides gras non estérifiés chez l'homme. Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 1965 Sep-Oct;26(5):602–608. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. MALING H. M., HIGHMAN B. Exaggerated ventricular arrhythmias and myocardial fatty changes after large doses of norepinephrine and epinephrine in unanesthetized dogs. Am J Physiol. 1958 Sep;194(3):590–596. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1958.194.3.590. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Mosinger B., Kuhn E., Kujalová V. Action of adipokinetic hormones on human adipose tissue in vitro. J Lab Clin Med. 1965 Sep;66(3):380–389. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. NORKIN S. A., GRIFFITH E., DUBIN I. N., CZERNOBILSKY B. EFFECT OF ALBUMIN AND FATTY ACIDS ON CELLULAR GROWTH IN VITRO. Arch Pathol. 1965 Sep;80:273–277. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Oliver M. F., Kurien V. A., Greenwood T. W. Relation between serum-free-fatty acids and arrhythmias and death after acute myocardial infarction. Lancet. 1968 Apr 6;1(7545):710–714. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)92163-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. SZAKACS J. E., MEHLMAN B. Pathologic changes induced by 1-norepineprine: quantitative aspects. Am J Cardiol. 1960 May;5:619–627. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(60)90127-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Schenk E. A., Moss A. J. Cardiovascular effects of sustained norepinephrine infusions. II. Morphology. Circ Res. 1966 May;18(5):605–615. doi: 10.1161/01.res.18.5.605. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. VAN HANDEL E., ZILVERSMIT D. B. Micromethod for the direct determination of serum triglycerides. J Lab Clin Med. 1957 Jul;50(1):152–157. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. WITTELS B., BRESSLER R. BIOCHEMICAL LESION OF DIPHTHERIA TOXIN IN THE HEART. J Clin Invest. 1964 Apr;43:630–637. doi: 10.1172/JCI104948. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. WROBLEWSKI F., LADUE J. S. Lactic dehydrogenase activity in blood. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1955 Oct;90(1):210–213. doi: 10.3181/00379727-90-21985. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES