Glucagon, satiety from feeding and liver/pancreatic interactions

Abstract

In an attempt to assess pancreatic glucagon's efficacy at repeatedly reducing food ingestion during differing circadian periods, three groups of 8 rats each were randomly assigned to 4-hr food deprivations beginning at 0800, 1200 or 1600 with light off at 2000. Subjects were then refed following injections of pancreatic glucagon (400 micrograms/kg b.wt. dissolved in DMSO) or vehicle alone every third day (no injection on intervening day). Food intake was measured at 1 and 20 hr following each injection. Following 3 cycles of the above procedure, each animal was again food deprived at the appropriate time, stunned and sacrificed by decapitation. The liver was sampled and glycogen determinations were made. Glucagon suppressed food intake when injected at 1200 (49.6%) and at 1600 (43.1%) but not when given at 2000 (-2.2%). Glycogen content measured after similar deprivation ending at these times was 5.6, 3.9 and 2.0%, respectively. With repeated glucagon injections, the hormone lost its ability to reduce food intake. In a second study, designed to evaluate the role of insulin in glucagon's action, three groups of 6 rats each were given atropine plus glucagon or glucagon or atropine injections alone; food ingestion was then measured one hr later. Atropine alone somewhat decreased eating, however, in combination with glucagon (given 10 min following atropine), no significant decrements in ingestion were achieved. Glucagon injected after saline produced a significant reduction in food intake (62.5%). Since glucagon stimulates insulin release and hyperglycemia; perhaps insulin release is necessary for glucagon's satiety effect.