Ethnic Differences in Insulin Sensitivity, β-Cell Function, and Hepatic Extraction Between Japanese and Caucasians: A Minimal Model Analysis

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 99; no. 11; pp. 4273 - 4280
• Main Authors: Møller, Jonas B., Dalla Man, Chiara, Overgaard, Rune V., Ingwersen, Steen H., Tornøe, Christoffer W., Pedersen, Maria, Tanaka, Haruhiko, Ohsugi, Mitsuru, Ueki, Kohjiru, Lynge, Jan, Vasconcelos, Nina-Maria, Pedersen, Bente K., Kadowaki, Takashi, Cobelli, Claudio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Oxford University Press 01.11.2014; Copyright by The Endocrine Society; Endocrine Society
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Beta cells; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose; Body mass index; Cell culture; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cultural differences; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - ethnology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - physiopathology; Endocrinopathies; European Continental Ancestry Group; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose; Glucose Intolerance - blood; Glucose Intolerance - ethnology; Glucose Intolerance - physiopathology; Glucose tolerance; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Insulin - blood; Insulin resistance; Insulin Resistance - ethnology; Insulin-Secreting Cells - physiology; Japan; Liver; Liver - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: endocrinology; White people; Asia; Japan; Obesity; Pancreatic hormone; Cell function; Nutrition; Digestive system; Insulin sensitivity; Liver; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Insulin; Japanese; Ethnic group; Extraction; Models; β Cell; Caucasoid; Endocrinology; Nutritional status; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2014-1724

Context:Ethnic differences have previously been reported for type 2 diabetes.Objective:We aimed at assessing the potential differences between Caucasian and Japanese subjects ranging from normal glucose tolerance (NGT) to impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and to type 2 diabetes.Design:This was a cross-sectional study with oral glucose tolerance tests to assess β-cell function, hepatic insulin extraction, and insulin sensitivity.Participants:Participants included 120 Japanese and 150 Caucasian subjects.Main Outcomes:Measures of β-cell function, hepatic extraction, and insulin sensitivity were assessed using C-peptide, glucose, and insulin minimal models.Results:Basal β-cell function (Φb) was lower in Japanese compared with Caucasians (P < .01). In subjects with IGT, estimates of the dynamic (Φd) and static (Φs) β-cell responsiveness were significantly lower in the Japanese compared with Caucasians (P < .05). In contrast, values of insulin action showed higher sensitivity in the Japanese IGT subjects. Hepatic extraction was similar in NGT and IGT groups but higher in Japanese type 2 diabetic subjects (P < .01). Despite differences in insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, and hepatic extraction, the disposition indices were similar between the 2 ethnic groups at all glucose tolerance states. Furthermore, the overall insulin sensitivity and β-cell responsiveness for all glucose tolerance states were similar in Japanese and Caucasians after accounting for differences in body mass index.Conclusion:Our study provides evidence for a similar ability of Japanese and Caucasians to compensate for increased insulin resistance.