The gut hormone gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) plays a key role in glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism. This study investigated the effects of administration of a stable and specific GIP receptor antagonist, (Pro³)GIP, in mice previously fed a high-fat diet for 160 days to induce obesity and related diabetes. Daily intraperitoneal injection of (Pro³)GIP over 50 days significantly decreased body weight compared with saline-treated controls, with a modest increase in locomotor activity but no change of high-fat diet intake. Plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and pancreatic insulin were restored to levels of chow-fed mice, and circulating triglyceride and cholesterol were significantly decreased. (Pro³)GIP treatment also significantly decreased circulating glucagon and corticosterone, but concentrations of GLP-1, GIP, resistin, and adiponectin were unchanged. Adipose tissue mass, adipocyte hypertrophy, and deposition of triglyceride in liver and muscle were significantly decreased. These changes were accompanied by significant improvement of insulin sensitivity, meal tolerance, and normalization of glucose tolerance in (Pro³)GIP-treated high-fat-fed mice. (Pro³)GIP concentrations peaked rapidly and remained elevated 24 h after injection. These data indicate that GIP receptor antagonism using (Pro³)GIP provides an effective means of countering obesity and related diabetes induced by consumption of a high-fat, energy-rich diet.

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (gastric inhibitory polypeptide [GIP]) is an important incretin hormone secreted by endocrine K-cells in response to nutrient ingestion. In this study, we investigated the effects of chemical ablation of GIP receptor (GIP-R) action on aspects of obesity-related diabetes using a stable and specific GIP-R antagonist, (Pro³)GIP. Young adult ob/ob mice received once-daily intraperitoneal injections of saline vehicle or (Pro³)GIP over an 11-day period. Nonfasting plasma glucose levels and the overall glycemic excursion (area under the curve) to a glucose load were significantly reduced (1.6-fold; P < 0.05) in (Pro³)GIP-treated mice compared with controls. GIP-R ablation also significantly lowered overall plasma glucose (1.4-fold; P < 0.05) and insulin (1.5-fold; P < 0.05) responses to feeding. These changes were associated with significantly enhanced (1.6-fold; P < 0.05) insulin sensitivity in the (Pro³)GIP-treated group. Daily injection of (Pro³)GIP reduced pancreatic insulin content (1.3-fold; P < 0.05) and partially corrected the obesity-related islet hypertrophy and β-cell hyperplasia of ob/ob mice. These comprehensive beneficial effects of (Pro³)GIP were reversed 9 days after cessation of treatment and were independent of food intake and body weight, which were unchanged. These studies highlight a role for GIP in obesity-related glucose intolerance and emphasize the potential of specific GIP-R antagonists as a new class of drugs for the alleviation of insulin resistance and treatment of type 2 diabetes.