Accelerated insulin degradation: an alternate mechanism for insulin resistance.

We have examined insulin and glucagon degrading activities of muscle and fat tissues in 11 subjects (4 lean controls, 3 insulin-resistant obese subjects, 2 non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, and 2 insulin-treated diabetic subjects) and correlated degrading activity with (1) basal insulin level and (2) state of insulin resistance. We found hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance to be significantly correlated with accelerated insulin and glucagon degrading activity. Weight reduction in an insulin-resistant obese patients results in parallel reduction in both basal insulin level and insulin-glucagon degrading activity. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that an alternative mechanism for insulin resistance may be an accelerated insulin degradation at the level of target tissues.