RU 486 prevents the acute effects of cortisol on glucose and leucine metabolism.

ABSTRACT

PIP: In Montreal, Quebec, a randomized, double blind study was conducted in eight healthy men at Hotel-Dieu Hospital during administration of cortisol (2 mcg/kg per minute for 5 h) with RU-486 (600 mg), during cortisol administration with a placebo, during 0.9% saline administration with RU-486, and during normal saline administration with a placebo. Clinicians administered a primed continuous infusion of D-[6,6-2H]glucose and [1-13C-]leucine during each test to determine hepatic glucose production and plasma leucine appearance rate. Continuous infusion of labeled bicarbonate in four men was also conducted to calculate the recovery factor of carbon dioxide in their breath. Researchers wanted to examine glucose and protein metabolism during hypercortisolemia with or without RU-486 and the effects of RU-486 on the metabolic effects of acute cortisol deficiency. Among men receiving the placebo, plasma glucose levels were higher during cortisol infusion than saline infusion (5.5 vs. 4.7 mmol/l; p 0.01). The leucine appearance rate was also higher during cortisol infusion than saline infusion (2.24 vs. 2 mcmol/kg per min; p 0.05) as well as leucine oxidation (0.51 vs. 0.31 mcmol/kg; p 0.01). Hepatic glucose production did not change in either placebo group. Cortisol did not induce the same metabolic changes when it was administered after RU-486. Normal saline infusion after RU-486 induced a short-term lower plasma glucose level and hepatic glucose production. Insulin, C-peptide, or glucagon did not change. Cortisol induced increased growth hormone (GH) levels (e.g., at 240 min, 5.9 vs. 1.7 mcg/l; p 0.01) while GH levels did not change when cortisol was administered after RU-486. These findings show that RU-486 suppresses the effects of acute hypercortisolemia on glucose and protein metabolism and GH secretion in males. Long-term studies could reveal the potential of RU-486 to prevent the adverse effects of chronic glucocorticoid administration. RU-486 allows researchers to study the metabolic effects of cortisol in males.