Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (gastric inhibitory polypeptide [GIP]) is an important incretin hormone secreted by endocrine K-cells in response to nutrient ingestion. In this study, we investigated the effects of chemical ablation of GIP receptor (GIP-R)action on aspects of obesity-related diabetes using a stable and specific GIP-R antagonist, (Pro 3 )GIP. Young adult ob/ob mice received once-daily intraperitoneal injections of saline vehicle or (Pro 3 )GIP over an 11-day period. Nonfasting plasma glucose levels and the overall glycemic excursion (area under the curve) to a glucose load were significantly reduced (1.6-fold; P < 0.05) in (Pro 3 )GIP-treated mice compared with controls. GIP-R ablation also significantly lowered overall plasma glucose (1.4-fold; P < 0.05) and insulin (1.5-fold; P < 0.05) responses to feeding. These changes were associated with significantly enhanced (1.6-fold; P < 0.05) insulin sensitivity in the (Pro 3 )GIP-treated group. Daily injection of (Pro 3 )GIP reduced pancreatic insulin content (1.3-fold; P < 0.05) and partially corrected the obesityrelated islet hypertrophy and -cell hyperplasia of ob/ob mice. These comprehensive beneficial effects of (Pro 3 )GIP were reversed 9 days after cessation of treatment and were independent of food intake and body weight, which were unchanged. These studies highlight a role for GIP in obesity-related glucose intolerance and emphasize the potential of specific GIP-R antagonists as a new class of drugs for the alleviation of insulin resistance and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 54:2436 -2446, 2005 G lucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (gastric inhibitory polypeptide [GIP]) is a 42-amino acid peptide hormone secreted by enteroendocrine K-cells after nutrient absorption (1). In the pancreas, GIP stimulates glucose-dependent insulin secretion through interaction with specific heterotrimeric G-protein-coupled GIP receptors (GIP-Rs) on pancreatic -cells (2). Evidence suggests that GIP also stimulates proinsulin gene transcription and translation (3) and acts as a -cell growth factor (4,5) and antiapoptotic agent (6,7). Receptors for GIP have been demonstrated at a number of extrapancreatic sites (8,9), suggesting a range of additional effects on nutrient metabolism. Key among these is the ability of GIP to inhibit gastric acid secretion (10), attenuate glucagon-stimulated hepatic glucose production (11), stimulate glucose uptake in muscle (12), and increase both fatty acid synthesis and lipoprotein lipase activity in adipocytes (13,14). This action profile is reminiscent, but not identical, to that displayed by glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) (15). Together, GIP and GLP-1 constitute two major physiological incretin hormones of the enteroinsular axis (16).Much recent attention has been devoted to enhancement of incretin action using dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP) IV inhibitors or stable analogs of GLP-1 and GIP for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (17,18). Such an approach is reliant on the possibility that incretin action ...