The role of growth hormone and glucocorticoid in glucose handling in vivo

Growth hormone (GH) can oppose the catabolic eVects of glucocorticoids. However, both hormones have adverse eVects on carbohydrate metabolism. Here we examined the interactive eVects of GH and the glucocorticoid methylprednisolone (MP) on glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and [3H]2,6-deoxyglucose uptake of peripheral tissues in rats. Female Wistar rats received either saline, GH (2·7 mg/ kg), MP (5·0 mg/kg) or GH+MP. After 7 days treatment, animals were subjected to an i.v. glucose tolerance test. In a second experiment, animals treated as above were anesthetized and injected with human insulin (0·5 U/kg), [3H]2,6-deoxyglucose (500 µCi/kg), and [14C]mannitol (25 µCi/kg), to estimate insulin resistance and [3H]2,6