Further evidence for a central role of adipose tissue in the antihyperglycemic effect of metformin

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate further the relative roles played by liver and adipose tissue in the therapeutic response to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 11 patients with diet-treated type 2 diabetes were given metformin for approximately 3 months. Measurements were made before and after treatment of 1) fasting and postprandial plasma glucose, insulin, and free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations; 2) glucose appearance (Ra) and disappearance (Rd) rates measured overnight with 3-3H]glucose; and 3) plasma FFA concentrations during a 195-min infusion period at relatively low insulin (approximately 12-24 microU/ml) concentrations. RESULTS: Mean +/- SEM fasting plasma glucose concentration was significantly lower (175 +/- 11 vs. 224 +/- 15 mg/dl; P < 0.01) after treatment with metformin. Mean +/- SEM insulin concentrations measured from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. did not change with treatment. However, both glucose and FFA concentrations were significantly lower (P < 0.01) when measured over the same time period, and the decreases in plasma FFA and glucose concentration were highly correlated (r = 0.81; P = 0.03). Overnight glucose turnover studies indicated that neither Ra (hepatic glucose production HGP]) nor Rd changed significantly with treatment in association with metformin treatment. Since plasma glucose concentration was much lower after metformin treatment, the overnight glucose metabolic clearance rate (MCR) was significantly lower (P < 0.01). Finally, the ability of insulin to inhibit isoproterenol-stimulated increases in plasma FFA concentration was enhanced in metformin-treated patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Metformin treatment was associated with significantly lower fasting plasma glucose concentrations and lower day-long plasma glucose and FFA concentrations. Although overnight HGP was unchanged after treatment with metformin, the overnight glucose MCR was significantly increased, and the antilipolytic activity of insulin was also enhanced. Given these findings, it is suggested that at least part of the antihyperglycemic effect of metformin is due to a decrease in release of FFA from adipose tissue, leading to lower circulating FFA concentrations and an increase in glucose uptake.