Extending Beta Cell Survival with Exendin-4
Toronto, Canada -
Exendin-4 is an agonist of GLP-receptor 1, which is involved in not only increasing the mass of pancreatic beta cells, but has also been implicated in the stimulation of new neuron generation. In addition to exendin-4, agonists of the glucagon-like receptor include various incretin hormones.
In a recent paper (Hadjiyanni et al. Exendin-4 modulates diabetes onset in non obese diabetic mice.Endocrinology. 2007 Dec 6) the effect of exendin-4 treatment in the mouse model of autoimmune diabetes (NOD mouse) was evaluated.
Exendin-4 administration resulted in:
- delay of diabetes onset
- ameliorate insulitis
- augment beta cell mass
- improve glucose tolerance
These effects of exendin-4 should not be surprising. Exendin-4 has been demonstrated to induce regenerative/anti-apoptotic effects on the myocardium (Sonne et al. Protective effects of GLP-1 analogues exendin-4 and GLP-1(9-36) amide against ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat heart. Regul Pept. 2007 Oct 13), as well as stimulate what appears to be a process similar to transdifferentiation (Feanny et al. PDX-1 Expression Is Associated with Islet Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo. J Surg Res. 2007 Jun 19 ).
Since Exendin-4 is in the clinic, we believe that there will be very interesting combination therapeutics developed using this peptide and regenerative approaches.
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Catherine Odea said...
It does seem like this small peptide has some strong effects. If I was diabetic and going for stem cell therapy I definately would see if there is some combination effect that can be had for regeneration of cells by combining things such as exendin with stem cells. Why has this not been done yet in animal models? People waste too mauch time trying to figure out new molecules instead of using the molecules that we already have.