Simultaneous measurement of insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion and the disposition index in conscious unhandled mice

Of the parameters that determine glucose disposal and progression to diabetes in humans: first-phase insulin secretion, glucose effectiveness, insulin sensitivity, and the disposition index, only insulin sensitivity can be reliably measured in conscious mice. To determine the importance of the other parameters in murine glucose homeostasis in lean and obese states, we developed the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIVGTT) for use in unhandled mice. We validated the conscious FSIVGTT against the euglycemic clamp for measuring insulin sensitivity in lean and obese mice. Insulin resistant mice had increased first-phase insulin secretion, decreased glucose effectiveness and a reduced disposition index, qualitatively similar to humans. Intriguingly, while insulin secretion explained most of the variation in glucose disposal in lean mice, glucose effectiveness and the disposition index more strongly predicted glucose disposal in obese mice. Disposition index curves identified individual diet-induced obese mice as having compensated or decompensated insulin secretion. Conscious FSIVGTT opens the door to apply mouse genetics to the determinants of in vivo insulin secretion, glucose effectiveness and disposition index, and further validates the mouse as a model of metabolic disease.