Parlevliet ET, Heijboer AC, Schröder-van der Elst JP, Havekes LM, Romijn JA, Pijl H, Corssmit EP. Oxyntomodulin ameliorates glucose intolerance in mice fed a high-fat diet. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 294: E142-E147, 2008. First published October 30, 2007 doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00576.2007.-We evaluated the acute effects of OXM on glucose metabolism in diet-induced insulin-resistant male C57Bl/6 mice. To determine the effects on glucose tolerance, mice were intraperitoneally injected with OXM (0.75, 2.5, or 7.5 nmol) or vehicle prior to an ip glucose tolerance test. OXM (0.75 nmol/h) or vehicle was infused during a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp to quantify insulin action on glucose production and disposal. OXM dose-dependently improved glucose tolerance as estimated by AUC for glucose (OXM: 7.5 nmol, 1,564 Ϯ 460, P Ͻ 0.01; 2.5 nmol, 1,828 Ϯ 684, P Ͻ 0.01; 0.75 nmol, 2,322 Ϯ 303, P Ͻ 0.05; control: 2,790 Ϯ 222 mmol ⅐ l Ϫ1 ⅐ 120 min). Insulin levels in response to glucose administration were higher in 7.5 nmol OXM-treated animals compared with controls. In basal clamp conditions, OXM increased EGP (82.2 Ϯ 14.7 vs. 39.9 Ϯ 5.7 mol ⅐ min Ϫ1 ⅐ kg Ϫ1 , P Ͻ 0.001). During insulin infusion, insulin levels were twice as high in OXMtreated mice compared with controls (10.6 Ϯ 2.8 vs. 4.4 Ϯ 2.2 ng/ml, P Ͻ 0.01). Consequently, glucose infusion rate (118.6 Ϯ 30.8 vs. 38.8 Ϯ 26.4 l/h, P Ͻ 0.001) and glucose disposal (88.1 Ϯ 13.0 vs. 45.2 Ϯ 6.9 mol ⅐ min Ϫ1 ⅐ kg Ϫ1 , P Ͻ 0.001) were enhanced in mice that received OXM. In addition, glucose production was more suppressed during OXM infusion (35.7 Ϯ 15.5 vs. 15.8 Ϯ 11.4% inhibition, P Ͻ 0.05). However, if these data were expressed per unit concentration of circulating insulin, OXM did not affect insulin action on glucose disposal and production. These results indicate that OXM beneficially affects glucose metabolism in diet-induced insulin-resistant C57Bl/6 mice. It ameliorates glucose intolerance, most likely because it elevates glucose-induced plasma insulin concentrations. OXM does not appear to impact on insulin action. animal model; gut hormone; glucose tolerance; insulin; hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp POSTTRANSLATIONAL PROCESSING OF PROGLUCAGON in the intestine and the central nervous system yields glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), GLP-2, glicentin, and oxyntomodulin (OXM) (18,32,35). OXM contains 37 amino acids, including the complete glucagon sequence with a basic octapeptide carboxyterminal extension (6). OXM is released from intestinal L cells into the blood in response to food ingestion in amounts proportional to caloric content (20,30). It potently inhibits meal-stimulated gastric acid and enzyme secretion in rodents and man (19).OXM appears to be an effective regulator of appetite and body weight. Intravenous infusion of OXM suppresses appetite and reduces food intake in humans during a buffet meal (14). Furthermore, both intracerebroventricular and intraperitoneal administration of OXM reduce food intake and body weight gain during refeeding in fasted rats (15,1...