The insulinotropic action of gastric inhibitory polypeptide.

The effect of highly purified gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) on immunoreactive insulin (IRI) secretion in the conscious fasted dog was investigated. Significant increases in IRI release were observed with intravenous administration of three different doses of GIP. These were accompanied by depression in fasting serum-glucose levels. Preliminary studies were undertaken to determine whether this insulinotropic action of GIP could be attributed to a particular segment of the GIP molecule. GIP fragments produced by cleavage with cyanogen bromide and trypsin showed no significant stimulation of IRI release. The possibility that GIP might itself enhance glucose uptake or potentiate insulin-induced glucose uptake was studied with the rat hemidiaphragm preparation. No such effect was observed. In the light of this and other recent work, it is concluded that GIP is a strong candidate for an active principle in the enteroinsular axis.