Potentiation of insulin secretory response of rats by BCG injection.

Effects of BCG cells on blood insulin, glucose, glycerol and free fatty acid (FFA), and liver glycogen were examined in rats in vivo. Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) was used as a solution containing BCG cells. Insulin secretion and lactate production by isoproterenol were enhanced by FCA injection. Hyperglycemia induced by epinephrine was somewhat attenuated by treating rats with FCA. The increment of plasma FFA by isoproterenol was smaller in FAC-injected rats than that in control rats. The amount of glycogen in liver was increased by FCA treatment Anti-insulin antiserum (AIS) did not modify the lactate producing action of isoproterenol. FFA release stimulated by isoproterenol was enhanced by AIS. Liver glycogen content in FCA-injected rats was decreased by AIS injection. These results suggest that some component(s) of BCG cells may enhance insulin release stimulated by secretagogues, and insulin thus released attenuates some metabolic effects of the agonist.