The lack of beta-adrenoceptors results in enhanced insulin sensitivity in mice exhibiting increased adiposity and glucose intolerance.

We and others have previously shown that triple knockout mice lacking the beta1/beta2/beta3-adrenoceptors (beta-less mice) developed a progressive obesity at adulthood. Here, we studied the glucose homeostasis in beta-less mice before the onset of obesity. We show that beta-less mice have increased fat mass and are glucose intolerant. In addition, we observed that beta-less mice have impaired glucose-induced insulin secretion and exhibit an increase in liver PEPCK gene expression in the fed state, suggesting that they have increased gluconeogenesis. Although these characteristics are usually associated with insulin resistance, beta-less mice exhibit enhanced insulin sensitivity during insulin tolerance tests. This is keeping with the results obtained during euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps showing that beta-less mice display increased insulin responsiveness with normal suppression of hepatic glucose production. Altogether, our results suggest that an intact beta-adrenergic system is required to regulate overall glucose homeostasis and, in particular, insulin-mediated glucose uptake, most likely at the level of muscles and adipose tissue.