Transplantable rat glucagonomas cause acute onset of severe anorexia and adipsia despite highly elevated NPY mRNA levels in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus.

We have isolated a stable, transplantable, and small glucagonoma (MSL-G-AN) associated with abrupt onset of severe anorexia occurring 2-3 wk after subcutaneous transplantation. Before onset of anorexia, food consumption is comparable to untreated controls. Anorexia is followed by adipsia and weight loss, and progresses rapidly in severity, eventually resulting in reduction of food and water intake of 100 and 80%, respectively. During the anorectic phase, the rats eventually become hypoglycemic and hypothermic. The tumor-associated anorexia shows no sex difference, and is not affected by bilateral abdominal vagotomy, indicating a direct central effect. The adipose satiety factor leptin, known to suppress food intake by reducing hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels, was not found to be expressed by the tumor, and circulating leptin levels were reduced twofold in the anorectic phase. A highly significant increase in hypothalamic (arcuate nucleus) NPY mRNA levels was found in anorectic rats compared with control animals. Since elevated hypothalamic NPY is among the most potent stimulators of feeding and a characteristic of most animal models of hyperphagia, we conclude that the MSL-G-AN glucagonoma releases circulating factor(s) that overrides the hypothalamic NPY-ergic system, thereby eliminating the orexigenic effect of NPY. We hypothesize a possible central role of proglucagon-derived peptides in the observed anorexia.