Comparison of the enteroinsular axis in two strains of obese rat, the fatty Zucker and the JCR:LA-corpulent.

The 'fatty' Zucker and more recently the JCR:LA-cp 'corpulent' have been studied extensively as genetic models of the hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and abnormal fat metabolism of obesity. It has been hypothesized that an abnormal enteroinsular axis leading to hypersecretion of the insulin releasing hormone gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) could contribute to the hyperinsulinemia of obesity, although this has been controversial. The present study was undertaken to compare the enteroinsular axis in fatty Zucker and JCR:LA-cp rats. The in vivo GIP and insulin responses to an oral glucose challenge, as well as glucose tolerance, were compared in lean and obese phenotypes of both strains as well as the sensitivity of the perfused pancreas to the secretagogues glucose, arginine and GIP. In addition, the effect of perfusate glucose concentration on the beta cell response to GIP was assessed in both strains. Tissue samples from the pancreas were taken for immunocytochemical analysis of comparative size and composition of pancreatic islets. Our results indicate that corpulent rats are hyperGIPemic when compared to fatty Zuckers and that hyperinsulinemia (both in vivo and in vitro) is more severe in the JCR:LA-cp than in the fatty Zucker, as is the degree of insulin resistance (as evidenced by glucose intolerance). Islets of corpulent rats were found to be larger than those of fa/fa rats as well as having a larger area occupied by beta cells. It was concluded that GIP may contribute to fasting hyperinsulinemia in the Zucker rat (as a result of a defective glucose threshold for the insulinotropic action of GIP), whereas the hyperGIPemia of the JCR:LA-cp rat may contribute to the massive nutrient-stimulated hyperinsulinemia observed in the male phenotype of this strain.