Abstract

Secretion of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), a duodenal hormone, is primarily induced by absorption of ingested fat. Here we describe a novel pathway of obesity promotion via GIP. Wild-type mice fed a high-fat diet exhibited both hypersecretion of GIP and extreme visceral and subcutaneous fat deposition with insulin resistance. In contrast, mice lacking the GIP receptor (Gipr^-/-) fed a high-fat diet were clearly protected from both the obesity and the insulin resistance. Moreover, double-homozygous mice (Gipr^-/-, Lep^ob/Lep^ob) generated by crossbreeding Gipr^-/- and obese ob/ob (Lep^ob/Lep^ob) mice gained less weight and had lower adiposity than Lep^ob/Lep^ob mice. The Gipr^-/- mice had a lower respiratory quotient and used fat as the preferred energy substrate, and were thus resistant to obesity. Therefore, GIP directly links overnutrition to obesity and it is a potential target for anti-obesity drugs.