Background: Osborne-Mendel (OM) rats are prone to obesity when fed a high-fat diet, whereas S5B/Pl (S5B) rats are resistant to diet-induced obesity when fed the same diet. OM rats have a decreased satiation response to fatty acids infused in the gastrointestinal tract, compared to S5B rats. One possible explanation is that OM rats are less sensitive to the satiating hormone, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 is produced in the small intestine and is released in response to a meal. The current experiments examined the role of GLP-1 in OM and S5B rats.
Methods: Experiment 1 examined preproglucagon mRNA expression in the ileum of OM and S5B rats fed a high-fat (55% kcal) or low-fat (10% kcal) diet. Experiment 2 investigated the effects of a 2 h high-fat meal after a 24 h fast in OM and S5B rats on circulating GLP-1 (active) levels. Experiment 3 examined the effects of exendin-4 (GLP-1 receptor agonist) administration on the intake of a high-fat or a low-fat diet in OM and S5B rats.
Results: Preproglucagon mRNA levels were increased in the ileum of OM rats compared to S5B rats and were increased by high-fat diet in OM and S5B rats. OM and S5B rats exhibited a similar meal-initiated increase in circulating GLP-1 (active) levels. Exendin-4 dose dependently decreased food intake to a greater extent in S5B rats compared to OM rats. The intake of low-fat diet, compared to the intake of high-fat diet, was more sensitive to the effects of exendin-4 in these strains.
Conclusions: These results suggest that though OM and S5B rats have similar preproglucagon mRNA expression in the ileum and circulating GLP-1 levels, OM rats are less sensitive to the satiating effects of GLP-1. Therefore, dysregulation of the GLP-1 system may be a mechanism through which OM rats overeat and gain weight.