| | EFFECTS OF GLUCOSE, INSULIN, GLUCAGON AND NICOTINE ON CULTURED FIBROBLASTS |
 | | The aim of this investigation is to study androgen metabolism in human gingival fibroblasts exposed to a hyperglycaemic environment and their response to insulin, the antagonist glucagon and nicotine; this may be extrapolated to their metabolic responses in vivo, in uncontrolled diabetes (obtained local Ethical Committee approval). |
 | | Duplicate incubations of four cell lines of monolayer cultures of fibroblasts were performed in Eagle's MEM with radiolabelled testosterone as substrate; in the presence or absence of a) glucose (1-100micrograms/ml) / insulin, (3micrograms/ml) b) the insulin antagonist glucagon (0.5-10micrograms/ml) / insulin (3micrograms/ml) and c) insulin (0.5-50micrograms/ml) / nicotine (250micrograms/ml), alone and in the above combinations. |
 | | Insulin was able to overcome hyperglycaemic effects in this model, demonstrated by the yields of androgen metabolites, which can be used as a parameter of risk for wound healing in diabetics. |
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