Solid phase extraction of clenbuterol from plasma using immunoaffinity followed by HPLC.

An immuno-extraction column for clenbuterol has been prepared. Optimum conditions for the selective retention and elution of clenbuterol have been developed, based on a modification of our earlier work on morphine, chlortoluron and isoproturon. Clenbuterol could be retained on the immuno-column then eluted in one x one ml fraction using 50% methanol in phosphate buffered saline pH 2. On columns containing antisera (but not to clenbuterol) the clenbuterol was removed in the washing step. HPLC-UV determination gave clean traces. Day-to-day reproducibility was improved by precipitating the plasma proteins with acetonitrile.

Determination of morphine in urine by solid-phase immunoextraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

The analysis of morphine in biological fluids is of vital interest in monitoring opiate abuse and in drug abuse research. Although methods for analysis of morphine and its metabolites are well established, studies are still being carried out to improve sample preparation procedures as well as detection levels of morphine in biological samples. In this study, morphine-specific immunosorbents were developed to concentrate morphine prior to HPLC analysis. Urine (0.1 ml) was diluted 10-fold with phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.4 (PBS), loaded onto a solid-phase immunoextraction column and washed with 15 ml PBS followed by elution with 2 ml of elution buffer (40% ethanol in PBS, pH 4). The eluted fraction was analysed for morphine by HPLC-electrochemical detection using a cyanopropyl (CN) analytical column with 25% acetonitrile in phosphate buffer-sodium lauryl sulphate, pH 2.4 as the mobile phase. Duration of the extraction procedure was approximately 40 min. Calibration graphs were linear from 100 ng ml-1 to 500 ng ml-1 in urine. The inter-assay R.S.D. was < 10% and the recovery of morphine from urine was > 98%. Immunocolumns demonstrated remarkably high specificity towards morphine showing minimal binding with other opiate metabolites such as codeine, normorphine, norcodeine, morphine-3-glucuronide, morphine-6-glucuronide.

IAC/cELISA detection of monensin elimination from chicken tissues, following oral therapeutic dosing.

A specific screening technique was developed for detecting and quantifying the antibiotic, monensin (Mon), present at residue levels in chicken tissues. Mon was extracted from chicken tissues by enzymic hydrolysis, followed by immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) and quantitative assessment by chemiluminescent ELISA (cELISA). The cELISA had a working range between 0.1 and 10 ng/ml (CV < 5%) with a limit of detection of 0.06 ng/ml (CV < 3%; B0-3SD). The IAC/cELISA process resulted in an analytical limit of detection for chicken tissues of between 0.09 microgram/kg (liver) and 1.99 micrograms/kg (skin). This analytical strategy was used to evaluate the presence and distribution of Mon in the carcasses of groups of chickens (n = 3) fed with a standard therapeutic dose of Mon followed by withdrawal periods of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 26 days. Mon levels in the tissues of these groups was found to be greatest in fatty tissues. Furthermore, residual levels of Mon persisted in all chicken tissues after withdrawal from a diet containing Mon for far longer than the putative fall in plasma levels have previously indicated.

Assessment of the suitability of commercially available SpA affinity solid phases for the purification of murine monoclonal antibodies at process scale.

Eight commercially available staphylococcal protein A (SpA) affinity chromatography solid phases were evaluated in order to establish their potential for the large-scale purification of a murine monoclonal antibody (MAb, mIgG1). The antibody was produced in-house, serum-free, in a hollow fibre bioreactor. Solid phases were tested for the effects of salt concentration, pH, and the presence of MAb on ligand leakage and flow rate. These effects were compared using the solid phases in stirred-tank (roller-mixing) and flow-through (packed-bed) modes of operation. Ligand leakage in the absence of MAb was generally at its lowest when the solid phases were used in a flow-through mode. In this mode of operation increasing the inorganic salt concentration and pH of the washing/adsorption buffer from 150 mM at pH 8.6, to 3 M at pH 8.9, typically produced a 10% increase in MAb capacity of the solid phases (20% for Sepharose CL-4B). However, contamination of the purified antibodies was also greatly increased due to an elevated level of background ligand leakage from the matrices. Residual contaminating levels of SpA in affinity purified MAbs were lowest with a low salt (NaCl, 150 mM) glycine (1 M) adsorption/washing buffer. Maximal antibody capacity was achieved for all matrices on frontal analysis (breakthrough curves), as opposed to a pulse mode of use. The largest capacity was found for Prosep A 'high capacity' (12-15 mg/ml column volume), where capacity approached its experimentally determined theoretical capacity (C/Co = 0.5) regardless of its mode of use. The relatively high MAb capacity of Prosep A 'high capacity' was further reflected in a superior dynamic isotherm. Frontal analysis, however, generally resulted in a greater SpA contamination of the purified MAbs. Under these conditions the lowest levels of SpA contamination were found for the Prosep A 'high capacity', and Repligen solid phases (12 ppm) on purifying 12.8 and 4.3 mg of MAb respectively. For the large scale downstream processing of a MAb for therapeutic applications, Prosep A 'high capacity', would appear to be the most appropriate of the solid phases tested.

A sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of staphylococcal protein A (SpA) present as a trace contaminant of murine immunoglobulins purified on immobilized protein A.

A specific non-competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for detecting and quantifying protein A (SpA), present as a trace contaminant of therapeutic murine monoclonal antibodies (McAb) purified on immobilized SpA preparations. The assay employs a microtitration plate system, in which affinity-selected chicken anti-SpA antibodies from the egg yolks of immunized hens provide a specific capture antibody, followed by the addition of standards or sample with a McAb concentration of 1 mg/ml, in conditions unfavourable for Fc binding, and finally an affinity-selected rabbit anti-SpA peroxidase label. The working range of this assay is between 0.5 and 10.0 ng/ml (CV less than 5%), with a lower limit of detection of 0.2 ng/ml (CV less than 10%). This assay was used to evaluate SpA leakage when purifying a serum-free murine IgG1 cell culture supernatant using SpA immobilized on agarose (Protein A-Sepharose CL-4B) or controlled pore glass (Prosep A, high capacity). These gave average antibody SpA contamination levels of 6.7 +/- 1.6 and 2.4 +/- 0.5 (mean +/- SD) parts per million respectively.

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide and insulin responses to orally administered amino acids in genetically obese hyperglycemic (ob/ob) mice.

The effects of oral administration of eight L-amino acids (alanine, arginine, cysteine, glycine, histidine, hydroxyproline, lysine and threonine) individually or as an amino acid mixture on plasma gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), insulin and glucose concentrations were examined in 18-h fasted obese hyperglycemic (ob/ob) mice. At a dose of 5.4 mmol/kg body weight, arginine, cysteine, histidine and the amino acid mixture were equipotent in terms of increasing plasma GIP and insulin concentrations. Alanine, hydroxyproline and lysine also increased plasma GIP, but insulin concentrations were unchanged. In contrast, threonine failed to affect either GIP or insulin concentrations. There was no correlation between either the incremental or integrated GIP and insulin responses, and none of the amino acids administered affected circulating glucose concentrations. The results indicate that a range of essential and nonessential neutral and basic amino acids stimulate the release of GIP in ob/ob mice. However, GIP made only a modest contribution to the stimulation of insulin secretion following administration of amino acids in the presence of basal glycemia.

Effects of diets rich in sucrose, coconut fat and safflowerseed oil on the development of the obese hyperglycaemic (ob/ob) syndrome in mice.

The effect of dietary sucrose and fat in the form of coconut fat (rich in saturated fatty acids) or safflowerseed oil (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids) was examined on the development of obesity and impaired glucose homeostasis in ob/ob mice. Isoenergetic high sucrose or high fat diets were fed to ob/ob mice from 3-11 weeks of age. Energy intake of mice fed diets rich in fat were similar, and exceeded that attained with the sucrose diet. Body weight gain was greatest in the sucrose-fed mice and least in those fed safflowerseed oil. With the exception of insulin sensitivity which was enhanced with safflowerseed oil, plasma concentrations of glucose and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), glucose tolerance, intestinal GIP content and the GIP response to oral fat were similar. However, mice fed the high sucrose diet exhibited markedly elevated plasma insulin concentrations and an enhanced pancreatic insulin content. Since the hyperinsulinaemic action of sucrose cannot be attributed to elevated GIP or glucose concentrations, the involvement of other insulin-releasing hormones released from the intestine by sucrose is suggested. The results indicate that the relative amounts of carbohydrate and fat in the diet have an important modulating effect on the development of the ob/ob syndrome. The type of fatty acids in the diet does not appear to be a particularly important determinant for expression of the ob gene.

Stimulation of gastric inhibitory polypeptide release in ob/ob mice by oral administration of sugars and their analogues.

The effect of oral administration of sugars and their analogues (glucose, galactose, fructose, mannose, sucrose, N-acetylglucosamine, 2-deoxyglucose, 3-O-methylglucose and alpha-methyl-glucoside) on plasma gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) concentration was examined in 18-h fasted ob/ob mice. Administration of sucrose (5.52 mol/kg body wt), or the monosaccharides (11.04 mol/kg body wt) glucose, galactose or fructose, elicited prompt GIP responses that peaked at 30 min. Similar effects were induced by 3-O-methylglucose or alpha-methyl-glucoside, but the stimulatory action of 2-deoxyglucose was delayed. In contrast to the other sugars, N-acetylglucosamine decreased plasma GIP concentration, while mannose exerted no effect. The results suggest that sugars using the Na+ glucose contransporter at the luminal brush border stimulate GIP release without the necessity of being metabolized or removed from the cell by the glucose transporter at the basolateral membrane. The ability of fructose to stimulate GIP release in ob/ob mice suggests that the Na+-glucose contransporter does not represent an exclusive trigger for sugar-induced GIP secretion.

Xylitol vs glucose: effect on the rate of gastric emptying and motilin, insulin, and gastric inhibitory polypeptide release.

The effect of xylitol and glucose on the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal transit and on motilin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), and insulin release were studied in human volunteers. A single oral dose of 200 mL water containing 30 g glucose or 30 g xylitol, mixed with a 99mtechnetium-tin (99mTc-Sn) colloid, was used. Similar dosing without the label was used in motilin, GIP, and insulin studies. Xylitol decreased the rate of gastric emptying but concomitantly accelerated intestinal transit compared with glucose. The half-times for gastric emptying were 77.5 +/- 4.6 and 39.8 +/- 3.4 min after ingestion of xylitol and glucose solutions, respectively. Glucose suppressed motilin and stimulated GIP secretion; xylitol stimulated motilin secretion but had no effect on GIP, which is currently the main candidate for the role of enterogastrone. The accelerated intestinal transit and increase in plasma motilin observed after xylitol ingestion were thought to be causally related to the diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomfort produced by it.

Comparison of horseradish peroxidase and alkaline phosphatase-labelled antibodies in enzyme immunoassays.

The periodate method was found to be most effective for preparing horseradish peroxidase-sheep anti-human and horseradish peroxidase-donkey anti-mouse immunoglobulin (IgG) conjugates. The conjugates were improved by carrying out the oxidation of the enzyme at low pH. Anti-human and anti-mouse IgG-peroxidase conjugates (0.5 mg/mL IgG and 0.7 mg/mL IgG, respectively) were used at 1:15,000 and 1:8000 dilutions, respectively, in a sandwich ELISA to detect human and mouse IgG in buffer or in a growth medium containing 20% foetal calf serum. Using the peroxidase conjugates, it was possible to detect human and mouse IgG at concentrations as low as 1 ng/mL. The glutaraldehyde method was found to be much more effective than the periodate method for conjugating alkaline phosphatase to the antibodies. The optimum dilutions for anti/human and anti-mouse IgG-alkaline phosphatase conjugates (0.18 mg/mL IgG and 0.3 mg/mL IgG, respectively) in ELISA were 1:500 and 1:1000, respectively. The detection limit with alkaline phosphatase conjugates was 7 ng/ml for human IgG and 4 ng/ml for mouse IgG.

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide and the entero-insular axis in streptozotocin diabetic mice.

The function of the entero-insular axis and abnormalities of circulating gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) were examined in mice for 40 days after induction of streptozotocin diabetes. Compared with untreated controls, streptozotocin diabetic mice exhibited marked hyperglycaemia and hypoinsulinaemia, with impaired body weight gain, lipoatrophy, hyperphagia, intestinal hypertrophy, polydipsia and renal hypertrophy. Plasma GIP concentrations were elevated in fed but not fasted streptozotocin diabetic mice, and oral fat evoked a greater GIP response than control mice. In spite of marked hyperglycaemia, fat-stimulated GIP release did not raise plasma insulin in streptozotocin diabetic mice. Neither oral nor intraperitoneal glucose produced a significant insulin response in streptozotocin diabetic mice, although oral glucose resulted in a smaller change in glycaemia. The results indicate that streptozotocin diabetes in mice is associated with ineffectiveness of the entero-insular axis, despite elevated GIP concentrations, which are probably mediated through hyperphagia and defective feedback inhibition by insulin on intestinal K cells.

Immunoreactive gastric inhibitory polypeptide and K cell hyperplasia in obese hyperglycaemic (ob/ob) mice fed high fat and high carbohydrate cafeteria diets.

The effect of diet composition on plasma and intestinal concentrations of immunoreactive gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and intestinal K cell density was examined in obese hyperglycaemic (ob/ob) mice. The mice were reared from 3 to 11 weeks of age on either stock diet, a high fat (HF) cafeteria diet or a high carbohydrate (HC) cafeteria diet. The HF cafeteria diet increased the concentration of GIP in plasma (75%) and in the intestine (118%) and increased the density (54%) of GIP-secreting K cells in the upper jejunum compared with the stock diet. Plasma and intestinal GIP concentrations were not significantly altered by the HC cafeteria diet, although the density of K cells in the upper jejunum was increased (45%). The extent of hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia in ob/ob mice was not significantly altered by the HF and HC cafeteria diets. The results indicate that an increased amount of dietary fat chronically stimulates the production and secretion of GIP, and enhances intestinal K cell density in ob/ob mice.

Differential insulin responses to oral and intravenous glucose in the transplantable rat insulinoma--a role for GIP.

We have previously demonstrated an impaired insulin response to intraperitoneal glucose and arginine by the transplantable NEDH rat insulinoma. The nature of this tumour B-cell defect has been further studied by investigating the response of insulinoma-bearing rats to intravenous and intragastric glucose. Intravenous glucose failed to stimulate plasma immunoreactive insulin (IRI) above high basal levels (14.5 +/- 1.1 micrograms/L). However, significant elevation of the plasma IRI concentration was observed following an intragastric glucose load (17.1 +/- 1.5 micrograms/L; P less than 0.02). In view of the different effects of oral and intravenous glucose on insulin secretion in the RIN, implicating an involvement of incretin factors from the gut, the response of the tumour to GIP was investigated. Plasma IRI concentrations rose significantly in these animals (20.6 +/- 2.5 micrograms/L at 5 min, P less than 0.02). We conclude that (a) the transplantable rat insulinoma is responsive to GIP, and (b) that whilst the tumour B-cell has lost its insulin responsiveness to hyperglycaemia produced by intraperitoneal or intravenous glucose, it retains its ability to respond to intragastric glucose. This could be due to incretin factors from the gut of which GIP is currently the strongest candidate.

Effects of fatty acid chain length and saturation on gastric inhibitory polypeptide release in obese hyperglycaemic (ob/ob) mice.

Plasma gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) responses to equimolar intragastrically administered emulsions of fatty acids (2.62 mmol/7.5 ml/kg) were examined in 18 h fasted obese hyperglycaemic (ob/ob) mice. Propionic acid (C3:0), a saturated short-chain fatty acid, and capric acid (C10:0), a saturated medium chain fatty acid, did not significantly stimulate GIP release. However, the saturated long-chain fatty acid stearic acid (C18:0), and especially the unsaturated long-chain fatty acids oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic (C18:3) acids produced a marked GIP response. The results show that chain length and to a lesser extent the degree of saturation are important determinants of fatty acid-stimulated GIP release. The GIP-release action of long-chain, but not short-chain, fatty acids may be related to differences in their intracellular handling.

The effect of guar gum on carbohydrate-, fat- and protein-stimulated gut hormone secretion: modification of postprandial gastric inhibitory polypeptide and gastrin responses.

The effect of incorporating guar gum into predominantly single-component meals of carbohydrate, fat or protein on liquid gastric emptying and on the secretion of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), gastrin and motilin, was studied in healthy human volunteers. Volunteers were given either 80 ml Hycal (carbohydrate meal), 150 g cooked lean minced beef (protein meal) or 200 ml double cream (fat meal) either with or without 5 or 6 g guar gum. Liquid gastric emptying was monitored in the fat and protein meals by taking 1.5 g paracetamol, consumed in water, with the meals and monitoring its appearance in circulation. Postprandial insulin and GIP levels were both significantly reduced by addition of guar gum to the carbohydrate meal. Postprandial GIP secretion was also reduced by addition of guar gum to the protein meal, but protein-stimulated gastrin secretion was enhanced by guar gum. There was a significant negative correlation between peak circulating gastrin levels and the corresponding GIP levels. Postprandial GIP secretion and plasma motilin levels were unaffected by addition of guar gum to the fat meal. 5 and 10 g guar gum/l solutions in water possessed buffering capacities between pH 2.75 and 5.5. Guar gum at 5 g/l caused no detectable change in liquid gastric-emptying time. The observed augmentation of gastrin secretion by guar gum following a protein meal could be due either to the buffering capacity of guar gum or to the attenuation of GIP secretion. It is possible that the chronic use of guar gum could be associated with changes in gastric acid secretion.

Does gastric acid release plasma somatostatin in man?

Food and insulin hypoglycaemia raise plasma concentrations of somatostatin. Both also stimulate gastric acid secretion but it is not clear whether gastric acid itself has any effect on somatostatin secretion. We, therefore, studied the effect on plasma concentrations of somatostatin of infusion of 0.1 N HC1 into the stomach and duodenum of healthy subjects. Plasma somatostatin did not rise with a small dose of HC1 given intragastrically (15 mmol) or intraduodenally (4 mmol). After an intraduodenal infusion of 60 mmol HC1 over 30 minutes, sufficient to reduce intraluminal pH to 2, plasma somatostatin rose moderately in five subjects from a mean value (+/- SEM) of 32 +/- 3 pg/ml to a peak at 10 minutes of 54 +/- 11 pg/ml. It is concluded that: (a) intragastric acid infusions do not release circulating somatostatin in man; and (b) that intraduodenal acidification albeit at grossly supraphysiological doses is a moderate stimulus of plasma somatostatin release. Therefore, gastric acid is unlikely to be a major factor mediating postprandial plasma somatostatin release in man.

Response of circulating somatostatin, insulin, gastrin and GIP, to intraduodenal infusion of nutrients in normal man.

We have studied the effect of direct infusion of nutrients into the duodenum of normal subjects on circulating plasma somatostatin, insulin, gastrin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) levels. Six normal subjects were given on four separate occasions 150 ml of isotonic solutions containing 100 calories of carbohydrate, protein, or fat, and a control solution of saline, by infusion into the second part of the duodenum. Plasma somatostatin rose slightly after carbohydrate, mean basal 30 +/- 3 pg/ml, peak 46 +/- 16 pg/ml at 15 min; and more markedly after protein, peak 57 +/- 9 pg/ml at 30 min. However, fat was the most potent intraduodenal stimulus to plasma somatostatin release into circulation, peak 101 +/- 11 pg/ml at 30 min. The plasma insulin rise was greatest after carbohydrate, peak 68 +/- 10 i.u., but there was a significant rise after protein also, peak 34 +/- 6 i.u. Plasma gastrin rose significantly after protein only, peak 70 +/- 22 pg/ml. Plasma GIP rose markedly after carbohydrate, basal 506 +/- 50 pg/ml, peak 1480 +/- 120 pg/ml. Protein was also a potent stimulus of circulating plasma GIP release, peak 1200 +/- 190 pg/ml, while fat was the least potent, peak 730 +/- 190 pg/ml. Thus, calorie for calorie, fat is the most potent intraduodenal nutrient stimulus of circulating somatostatin. We postulate therefore that somatostatin may be an enterogastrone--a circulating hormone released by intraduodenal fat which inhibits gastric acid secretion. Fat is the least potent intraduodenal nutrient stimulus of circulating GIP release. This is evidence against the hypothesis that circulating GIP acts as an enterogastrone.

Plasma immunoreactive gastric inhibitory polypeptide in obese hyperglycaemic (ob/ob) mice.

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), a recognized component of the enteroinsular axis, is raised in the plasma and intestine of obese hyperglycaemic (ob/ob) mice. To evaluate the control of plasma GIP and its role in the hyperinsulinaemia of the ob/ob syndrome, GIP and insulin were determined at different ages in fed mice, and at 10-12 weeks of age after fasting/refeeding and administration of GIP, different nutrients and insulin to mice fasted for 18 h. Plasma GIP and insulin were raised in adult (10- and 20-week-old) compared with younger (3- and 5-week-old) mice, although GIP was not increased in the presence of hyperinsulinaemia at 3 weeks of age. Fasting suppressed and refeeding promptly restored plasma GIP and insulin concentrations. Administration of GIP to mimic postprandial concentrations evoked a marked but transient insulin response which was protracted in the presence of rising hyperglycaemia. Orally administered fat, glucose and amino acids raised GIP concentrations with fat having a particularly strong effect. Glucose and amino acids also evoked prominent increases of insulin, but fat produced only a small rise in insulin in the absence of increasing glucose concentrations. Consistent with glucose-potentiation, a mixture of all three nutrients greatly augmented the insulin response without further increase of plasma GIP. Glucose-induced increase in endogenous insulin and doses of exogenous insulin up to 100 units/kg did not suppress basal, fat-stimulated or glucose-stimulated GIP release. The results indicate that raised GIP concentrations make an important contribution to the hyperinsulinaemia and related metabolic abnormalities of the ob/ob syndrome.

Abnormalities of GIP in spontaneous syndromes of obesity and diabetes in mice.

The role of GIP in the pathogenesis of spontaneous syndromes of obesity-diabetes was examined in ob/ob mice of the Aston stock and db/db mice of the C57BL/KsJ background. Compared with lean controls, fed adult ob/ob and db/db mice, respectively, exhibited 1.8-fold and 2.1-fold increases in body weight, 1.8-fold and 2.8-fold elevations of plasma glucose, and 15.4-fold and 5.6-fold elevations of plasma insulin. As indicated by the relative magnitude of the hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, db/db mice displayed a particularly severe form of diabetes. Plasma GIP concentrations of ob/ob and db/db mice were elevated 15.1-fold and 6.2-fold, respectively; the increments closely corresponded with the degrees of hyperinsulinemia. Small intestinal weight was increased 1.4-fold and 1.8-fold in ob/ob and db/db mice, respectively, but the intestinal GIP content expressed as microgram/g intestine or microgram/intestine was raised only in ob/ob mice (1.9-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively). Since glucose stimulation of insulin release is defective in both mutant strains, the results strongly implicate pathologically raised GIP concentrations in the hyperinsulinemia and related metabolic abnormalities of the obesity-diabetes syndromes. It is suggested that hypersecretion of GIP results in part from loss of normal feedback inhibition by endogenous insulin.

Effect of pretreatment with a high fat diet on the gastric inhibitory polypeptide and insulin responses to oral triolein and glucose in rats.

Male Wistar rats were pretreated with 3 ml triolein orally for 4 days in addition to their normal diet. A similar control group were allowed free access to normal laboratory food. When given an oral fat load (1 ml triolein) plasma gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in the fat pretreated group. Inhibition of fat-stimulated GIP release by exogenous insulin was demonstrated in the untreated control group (plasma GIP: 663 +/- 49 versus 853 +/- 92 ng/l, mean +/- SEM p less than 0.025), but pretreatment with an oral fat load abolished this effect (plasma GIP: 1008 +/- 95 versus 1116 +/- 100 ng/l, p NS). Plasma glucose levels were significantly higher in fat pretreated rats given oral fat and intraperitoneal insulin compared with untreated controls (plasma glucose nadir 2.6 +/- 0.48 versus 1.6 +/- 0.15 mmol/l, p less than 0.05). Fat-pretreated rats showed significantly higher insulin and glucose levels compared with the untreated rats when given oral glucose (plasma insulin: 6.2 +/- 1.2 versus 2.5 +/- 0.59 micrograms/l, p less than 0.01; plasma glucose: 10.2 +/- 0.39 versus 8.9 +/- 0.41 mmol/l, p less than 0.025). Pretreatment of rats on a high fat diet causes (1) increased GIP secretion in response to an oral fat load, (2) abolition of the feed-back inhibition of exogenous insulin on fat-stimulated GIP release, and (3) some degree of insulin resistance.