Mechanism of action of insulin and insulin analogues. A comparison of the hepatic and peripheral effects on glucose turnover of insulin, proinsulin and three insulin analogues modified at positions A1 and B29.

A [14C]-glucose tracer infusion method was used to compare the effects of insulin infusion on glucose metabolism with the effects of infusion of three semisynthetic modified insulins and of proinsulin. Insulin produced hypoglycaemia in the anaesthetised dog by decreasing hepatic glucose production and increasing peripheral glucose utilisation. Compensatory antihypoglycaemic mechanisms eventually modified these responses. A1, B29-Diacetyl insulin exerted an hypoglycaemic effect entirely by stimulation of peripheral glucose uptake. A1-B29 crosslinked insulins and proinsulin produced hypoglycaemia almost entirely by decreasing hepatic glucose production and had little effect on tissue uptake. These observations suggest that insulin analogues may have actions in vivo that are qualitatively different from those of native insulin and suggest that certain analogues have a predominant action on the liver. This has important therapeutic implications concerning the development of semisynthetic insulins for clinical use.