Diabetes, Vol 26, Issue 6 525-529, Copyright © 1977 by American Diabetes Association
Hypersecretion of gastric inhibitory polypeptide following oral glucose in diabetes mellitus
SA Ross, JC Brown and J Dupre
Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is insulinotropic and is released
after ingestion of glucose in normal man. Changes in plasma immunoreactive
gastric inhibitory polypeptide (IRGIP) were therefore studied during a
50-gm. oral glucose tolerance test in 10 normal subjects and 20 subjects
with maturity-onset diabetes mellitus. The diabetics were nonobese and
treated by diet alone; they exhibited exaggerated increments of plasma
IRGIP in association with delayed and diminished peak increases in plasma
immunoreactive insulin, suggesting relative failure of the beta-cell
response to GIP. The diabetic subjects also showed a paradoxic rise in mean
plasma immunoreactive glucagon, with a peak coinciding with that of plasma
IRGIP. It is suggested that the defective beta-cell response may lead to
diminished feedback inhibition of GIP secretion by insulin in diabetes
mellitus and that the glucagonotropic action of GIP may be expressed under
these conditions.