Lack of Effects of an Acute Hepatic Vagotomy on Insulin and Catecholamine Responses in Rats Following Exercise

Abstract

The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the effects of an acute hepatic vagotomy on hormonal responses to hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic challenges in rats previously submitted to an exercise protocol. Two experiments were conducted. In a first experiment, 8-week trained (TR) and untrained (UNTR) rats, subdivided into acutely hepatic vagotomized (HV) and sham-operated (SHM) groups, were submitted to an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (0.5 g/kg) under anesthesia. Training was associated with a tendency (P = 0.07) for blood glucose levels to be less elevated (at time point 10 min), and with a significant (P < 0.01) lower glucose/insulin ratio following the glucose injection. The HV did not have any effects on these responses. In a second experiment, non-exercised rats and a group of rats submitted to an acute bout of exercise (treadmill, 60 min, 26 m/min, 5% slope) 24 h before the experiment, each one of these two groups being subdivided into acutely HV and SHM groups, were submitted to an insulin-induced hypoglycemia protocol, under anesthesia. Blood glucose concentrations were decreased significantly (P < 0.01) to approximately 40 mg/dl in all groups 60 and 80 min after the insulin injection. Plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline levels were increased significantly (P < 0.01) in all groups. The catecholamine increase was not influenced by the HV or the acute exercise bout. The present results do not indicate an implication of the hepatic vagus nerve on hormonal responses to hyper and hypoglycemia following exercise.