Practical guide:Glucagon-like peptide-1 and dual glucosedependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in diabetes mellitus

Practical guide:Glucagon-like peptide-1 and dual glucosedependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in diabetes mellitus common second-line choice after metformin for treating T2DM.Various considerations can make selecting and switching between different GLP-1 RAs challenging.Our study aims to provide a comprehensive guide for the usage of GLP-1 RAs and dual GIP and GLP-1 RAs for the management of T2DM.

Impact of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists on endoscopy and its preoperative management: Guidelines, challenges, and future directions

Glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists(GLP-1RA)are used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and,more recently,have garnered attention for their effect-iveness in promoting weight loss.They have been associated with several gastrointestinal adverse effects,including nausea and vomiting.These side effects are presumed to be due to increased residual gastric contents.Given the potential risk of aspiration and based on limited data,the American Society of Anesthesi-ologists updated the guidelines concerning the preoperative management of patients on GLP-1RA in 2023.They included the duration of mandated cessation of GLP-1RA before sedation and usage of“full stomach”precautions if these medications were not appropriately held before the procedure.This has led to additional challenges,such as extended waiting time,higher costs,and increased risk for patients.In this editorial,we review the current societal guidelines,clinical practice,and future directions regarding the usage of GLP-1RA in patients undergoing an endoscopic procedure.

Role of incretins and glucagon receptor agonists in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease:Opportunities and challenges

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD)has become the most common chronic liver disease worldwide,paralleling the rising pandemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes.Due to the growing global health burden and com-plex pathogenesis of MASLD,a multifaceted and innovative therapeutic approach is needed.Incretin receptor agonists,which were initially developed for diabetes management,have emerged as promising candidates for MASLD treatment.This review describes the pathophysiological mechanisms and action sites of three major classes of incretin/glucagon receptor agonists:glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists,glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor agonists,and glucagon receptor agonists.Incretins and glucagon directly or indirectly impact various organs,including the liver,brain,pancreas,gastro-intestinal tract,and adipose tissue.Thus,these agents significantly improve glycemic control and weight management and mitigate MASLD pathogenesis.Importantly,this study provides a summary of clinical trials analyzing the effect-iveness and safety of incretin receptor agonists in MASLD management and provides an in-depth analysis highlighting their beneficial effects on improving liver function,hepatic steatosis,and intrahepatic inflammation.There are emerging challenges associated with the use of these medications in the real world,particularly adverse events,drug-drug interactions,and barriers to access,which are discussed in detail.Additionally,this review highlights the evolving role of incretin receptor agonists in MASLD management and suggests future research directions.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists as a possible intervention to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes:A new horizon

Type 1 diabetes(T1D)is a chronic autoimmune condition that destroys insulinproducing beta cells in the pancreas,leading to insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia.The management of T1D primarily focuses on exogenous insulin replacement to control blood glucose levels.However,this approach does not address the underlying autoimmune process or prevent the progressive loss of beta cells.Recent research has explored the potential of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RAs)as a novel intervention to modify the disease course and delay the onset of T1D.GLP-1RAs are medications initially developed for treating type 2 diabetes.They exert their effects by enhancing glucose-dependent insulin secretion,suppressing glucagon secretion,and slowing gastric emptying.Emerging evidence suggests that GLP-1RAs may also benefit the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with T1D.This article aims to highlight the potential of GLP-1RAs as an intervention to delay the onset of T1D,possibly through their potential immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects and preservation of beta-cells.This article aims to explore the potential of shifting the paradigm of T1D management from reactive insulin replacement to proactive disease modification,which should open new avenues for preventing and treating T1D,improving the quality of life and long-term outcomes for individuals at risk of T1D.

A Retrospective Analysis of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists in Treating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Complicated by Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background: The objective of this study was to compare and analyze the variations in clinical indices before and after treatment of type 2 mellitus (T2DM) combined with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that were treated with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). Methods: The electronic medical record system was utilized to search for a total of 16 patients with type 2 diabetes complicated by NAFLD who were hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University from October 2022 to April 2023 and treated with GLP-1RA for the first time. The clinical indices were compared before and after 12 weeks of treatment with GLP-1RA. Results: The liver-spleen CT ratio (L/S), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in all patients treated with GLP-1RA after 12 weeks were significantly different (P 0.05). The patients were categorized into two groups based on the types of GLP-1RAs. The changes in L/S, TC, TG, and LDL-C in the long-acting group after treatment were statistically significant (P Conclusions: GLP-1RAs can improve liver function, regulate lipid metabolism, and reduce the severity of fatty liver in patients with T2DM complicated by NAFLD, which demonstrates the importance of clinical applications.

EVs-mediated delivery of CB2 receptor agonist for Alzheimer’s disease therapy

Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is a typical neurodegenerative disease that leads to irreversible neuronal degeneration,and effective treatment remains elusive due to the unclear mechanism.We utilized biocompatible mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles as carriers loaded with the CB2 target medicine AM1241(EVs-AM1241)to protect against neurodegenerative progression and neuronal function in AD model mice.According to the results,EVs-AM1241 were successfully constructed and exhibited better bioavailability and therapeutic effects than bare AM1241.The Morris water maze(MWM)and fear conditioning tests revealed that the learning and memory of EVs-AM1241-treated model mice were significantly improved.In vivo electrophysiological recording of CA1 neurons indicated enhanced response to an auditory conditioned stimulus following fear learning.Immunostaining and Western blot analysis showed that amyloid plaque deposition and amyloidβ(Aβ)-induced neuronal apoptosis were significantly suppressed by EVs-AM1241.Moreover,EVs-AM1241 increased the number of neurons and restored the neuronal cytoskeleton,indicating that they enhanced neuronal regeneration.RNA sequencing revealed that EVs-AM1241 facilitated Aβphagocytosis,promoted neurogenesis and ultimately improved learning and memory through the calcium-Erk signaling pathway.Our study showed that EVs-AM1241 efficiently reversed neurodegenerative pathology and enhanced neurogenesis in modelmice,indicating that they are very promising particles for treating AD.

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on glucose excursion and inflammation in overweight or obese type 2 diabetic patients

BACKGROUND Currently,the lack of comparative studies between weekly and daily formulations of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RAs)for glucose excursion is worth investigation.AIM To investigate the effects of weekly and daily formulations of GLP-1RA on glucose excursion and inflammation in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes.METHODS Seventy patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were treated at our hospital between January 2019 and January 2022 were enrolled in this retrospective analysis.All patients were treated with metformin.We evaluated changes in blood glucose levels and a series of important indicators in patients before and after treatment with either a weekly or daily preparation of GLP-1RA(group A;n=33 and group B;n=37).RESULTS The degree of decrease in the levels of fasting blood glucose,mean blood glucose,mean amplitude of glycemic excursions,total cholesterol,triglycerides,tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein after treatment in group A was higher than that in group B(P<0.05),whereas the 2-h postprandial blood glucose levels decreased more so in group B than in group A(P<0.001).However,there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of glycated hemoglobin,standard deviation of blood glucose,coefficient of variation,absolute mean of daily differences,percentage of time with 3.9 mmol/L<glucose<10 mmol/L,and high-and low-density lipoproteins between the two groups(P>0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower in group A than in group B(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The effect of the weekly preparation of GLP-1RA in controlling blood glucose levels in the patients,suppressing inflammation,and reducing adverse reactions was significantly higher than that of the daily preparations,which is worthy of clinical promotion.

The Role for AVE0991 (MAS-Receptor Angiotensin II (1-7) Agonist) in Reducing Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury on C57BL/6 Mice

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a condition that causes nephrotoxicity in kidney tissues due to cisplatin-induced cancer treatments. Hence, it is proposed in this review that AVE0991 (a MAS-receptor Angiotensin II (1-7) agonist) may reduce cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury by promoting nitric oxide production.

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and inflammation

Glucagon-like peptide1(GLP-1)is secreted from Langerhans cells in response to oral nutrient intake.Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RAs)are a new class of incretin-based anti-diabetic drugs.They function to stimulate insulin secretion while suppressing glucagon secretion.GLP-1-based therapies are now well established in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),and recent literature has suggested potential applications of these drugs in the treatment of obesity and for protection against cardiovascular and neurological diseases.As we know,along with change in lifestyles,the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)in China is rising more than that of viral hepatitis and alcoholic fatty liver disease,and NAFLD has become the most common chronic liver disease in recent years.Recent studies further suggest that GLP-1RAs can reduce transaminase levels to improve NAFLD by improving blood lipid levels,cutting down the fatcontent to promote fat redistribution,directly decreasing fatty degeneration of the liver,reducing the degree of liver fibrosis and improving inflammation.This review shows the NAFLD-associated effects of GLP-1RAs in animal models and in patients with T2DM or obesity who are participants in clinical trials.

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on renal function

Glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1)receptor agonists result in greater improvements in glycemic control than placebo and promote weight loss with minimal hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.A number of case reports show an association of GLP-1receptor agonists,mainly exenatide,with the development of acute kidney injury.The present review aims to present the available data regarding the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on renal function,their use in subjects with chronic renal failure and their possible association with acute kidney injury.Based on the current evidence,exenatide is eliminated by renal mechanisms and should not be given in patients with severe renal impairment or end stage renal disease.Liraglutide is not eliminated by renal or hepatic mechanisms,but it should be used with caution since there are only limited data in patients with renal or hepatic impairment.There is evidence from animal studies that GLP-1 receptor agonists exert protective role in diabetic nephropathy with mechanisms that seem to be independent of their glucose-lowering effect.Additionally,there is evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists influence water and electrolyte balance.These effects may represent new ways to improve or even prevent diabetic nephropathy.

δ-Opioid receptor as a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke is a global epidemic condition due to an inadequate supply of blood and oxygen to a specific area of brain either by arterial blockage or by narrowing of blood vessels.Despite having advancement in the use of thrombolytic and clot removal medicine,significant numbers of stroke patients are still left out without option for treatment.In this review,we summarize recent research work on the activation ofδ-opioid receptor as a strategy for treating ischemic stroke-caused neuronal injury.Moreover,as activation ofδ-opioid receptor by a non-peptidicδ-opioid receptor agonist also modulates the expression,maturation and processing of amyloid precursor protein andβ-secretase activity,the potential role of these effects on ischemic stroke caused dementia or Alzheimer’s disease are also discussed.

Determination of structure-activity relationships between fentanyl analogs and human μ-opioid receptors based on active binding site models

Fentanyl is a potent and widely used clinical narcotic analgesic, as well as a highly selective IJ-opioid agonist. The present study established a homologous model of the human μ-opioid receptor; an intercomparison of three types of μ-opioid receptor protein sequence homologous rates was made. The secondary receptor structure was predicted, the model reliability was assessed and verified using the Ramachandran plot and ProTab analysis. The predictive ability of the CoMFA model was further validated using an external test set. Using the Surflex-Dock program, a series of fentanyl analog molecules were docked to the receptor, the calculation results from Biopolymer/SitelD showed that the receptor had a deep binding area situated in the extracellular side of the transmembrane domains （TM） among TM3, TM5, TM6, and TMT. Results suggested that there might be 5 active areas in the receptor. The important residues were Asp147, Tyr148, and Tyr149 in TM3, Trp293, and His297 in TM6, and Trp318, His319, Ile322, and Tyr326 in TM7, which were located at the 5 active areas. The best fentanyl docking orientation position was the piperidine ring, which was nearly perpendicular to the membrane surface in the 7 TM domains. Molecular dynamic simulations were applied to evaluate potential relationships between ligand conformation and fentanyl substitution.

A Cell-based High-throughput Screening Assay for Farnesoid X Receptor Agonists

Objective To develop a high-throughput screening assay for Farnesoid X receptor （FXR） agonists based on mammalian one-hybrid system （a chimera receptor gene system） for the purpose of identifying new lead compounds for dyslipidaemia drug from the chemical library. Methods cDNA encoding the human FXR ligand binding domain （LBD） was amplified by RT-PCR from a human liver total mRNA and fused to the DNA binding domain （DBD） of yeast GAL4 of pBIND to construct a GAL4-FXR （LBD） chimera expression plasmid. Five copies of the GAL4 DNA binding site were synthesized and inserted into upstream of the SV40 promoter of pGL3-promoter vector to construct a reporter plasmid pG5-SV40 Luc. The assay was developed by transient co-transfection with pG5-SV40 Luc reporter plasmid and pBIND-FXR-LBD （189-472） chimera expression plasmid. Results After optimization, CDCA, a FXR natural agonist, could induce expression of the luciferase gene in a dose-dependent manner, and had a signal/noise ratio of 10 and Z＇ factor value of 0.65, Conclusion A stable and sensitive cell-based high-throughput screening model can be used in high-throughput screening for FXR agonists from the synthetic and natural compound library.

Review on the Effect of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease（NAFLD） is a common liver disease and it represents the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, which includes type 2 diabetes mellitus（T2DM）, dyslipidemia, central obesity and hypertension. Glucagon-like peptide-1（GLP-1） analogues and dipeptidyl peptidase-4（DPP-4） inhibitors were widely used to treat T2 DM. These agents improve glycemic control, promote weight loss and improve lipid metabolism. Recent studies have demonstrated that the GLP-1 receptor（GLP-1R） is present and functional in human and rat hepatocytes. In this review, we present data from animal researches and human clinical studies that showed GLP-1 analogues and DPP-4 inhibitors can decrease hepatic triglyceride（TG） content and improve hepatic steatosis, although some effects could be a result of improvements in metabolic parameters. Multiple hepatocyte signal transduction pathways and m RNA from key enzymes in fatty acid metabolism appear to be activated by GLP-1 and its analogues. Thus, the data support the need for more rigorous prospective clinical trials to further investigate the potential of incretin therapies to treat patients with NAFLD.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists favorably address all components of metabolic syndrome

Cardiovascular death is the leading cause of mortality for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The etiologyof cardiovascular disease in diabetes may be divided into hyperglycemia per se and factors operating through components of metabolic syndrome(Met S). Hyperglycemia causes direct injury to vascular endothelium and possibly on cardiac myocytes. Met S is a cluster of risk factors like obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia. The incidence of this syndrome is rising globally. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RA) are a group of drugs, which address all components of this syndrome favorably. Experimental evidence suggests that they have favorable actions on myocardium as well. Several compounds belonging to GLP-1RA class are in market now and a large number awaiting their entry. Although, originally this class of drugs emerged as a treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus, more recent data generated revealed beneficial effects on multiple metabolic parameters. We have studied literature published between 2000 and 2016 to look into effects of GLP-1RA on components of Met S. Results from recently concluded clinical trials suggest that some of the molecules in this class may have favorable effects on cardiovascular outcome.

Is there a role for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the management of diabetic nephropathy?

Chronic kidney disease constitutes a major microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus.Accumulating data suggest that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1 RAs)might have a role in the management of diabetic kidney disease(DKD).GLP-1 RAs appear to reduce the incidence of persistent macro-albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.This beneficial effect appears to be mediated not only by the glucose-lowering action of these agents but also on their blood pressure lowering,anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.On the other hand,GLP-1 RAs do not appear to affect the rate of decline of glomerular filtration rate.However,this might be due to the relatively short duration of the trials that evaluated their effects on DKD.Moreover,these trials were not designed nor powered to assess renal outcomes.Given than macrolbuminuria is a strong risk factor for the progression of DKD,it might be expected that GLP-1 RAs will prevent the deterioration in renal function in the long term.Nevertheless,this remains to be shown in appropriately designed randomized controlled trials in patients with DKD.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: An update

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is the predominant cause of chronic liver disease worldwide.NAFLD progresses in some cases to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH),which is characterized,in addition to liver fat deposition,by hepatocyte ballooning,inflammation and liver fibrosis,and in some cases may lead to hepatocellular carcinoma.NAFLD prevalence increases along with the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Currently,lifestyle interventions and weight loss are used as the major therapeutic strategy in the vast majority of patients with NAFLD.Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RAs)are used in the management of T2DM and do not have major side effects like hypoglycemia.In patients with NAFLD,the GLP-1 receptor production is down-regulated.Recently,several animal and human studies have emphasized the role of GLP-1RAs in ameliorating liver fat accumulation,alleviating the inflammatory environment and preventing NAFLD progression to NASH.In this review,we summarize the updated literature data on the beneficial effects of GLP-1RAs in NAFLD/NASH.Finally,as GLP-1RAs seem to be an attractive therapeutic option for T2DM patients with concomitant NAFLD,we discuss whether GLP-1RAs should represent the first line pharmacotherapy for these patients.

Development of therapeutic options on type 2 diabetes in years:Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist’s role intreatment; from the past to future

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia.Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) accounting for 90% of cases globally.The worldwide prevalence of DM is rising dramatically over the last decades,from 30 million cases in 1985 to 382 million cases in 2013.It’s estimated that 451 million people had diabetes in 2017.As the pathophysiology was understood over the years,treatment options for diabetes increased.Incretin-based therapy is one of them.Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) not only significantly lower glucose level with minimal risk of hypoglycemia but also,they have an important advantage in themanagement of cardiovascular risk and obesity.Thus,we will review here GLP-1 RAsrole in the treatment of diabetes.

Metabolic and cardiovascular benefits with combination therapy of SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists in type 2 diabetes

Both GLP-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RA)and SGLT-2 inhibitors(SGLT-2I)are newer classes of anti-diabetic agents that lower HbA1c moderately and decrease body weight and systolic blood pressure(SBP)modestly.Combination therapy with GLP-1RA plus SGLT-2I have shown a greater reduction in HbA1c,body weight,and SBP compared to either agent alone without any significant increase in hypoglycemia or other side effects.Since several agents from each class of these drugs have shown an improvement in cardiovascular(CV)and renal outcomes in their respective cardiovascular outcome trials(CVOT),combination therapy is theoretically expected to have additional CV and renal benefits.In this comprehensive opinion review,we found HbA1c lowering with GLP-1RA plus SGLT-2I to be less than additive compared to the sum of HbA1c lowering with either agent alone,although body weight lowering was nearly additive and the SBP lowering was more than additive.Our additional meta-analysis of CV outcomes with GLP1RA plus SGLT-2I combination therapy from the pooled data of five CVOT found a similar reduction in three-point major adverse cardiovascular events compared to GLP-1RA or SGLT-2I alone,against placebo.Interestingly,a greater benefit in reduction of heart failure hospitalization with GLP-1RA plus SGLT-2I combination therapy was noted in the pooled meta-analysis of two randomized controlled trials.Future adequately powered trials can confirm whether additional CV or renal benefit is truly exerted by GLP-1RA plus SGLT-2I combination therapy.

3D-QSAR Studies on 3-Substituted N-Benzhydryl-nortropane Analogs as Nociception Receptor Agonists

The nociceptin receptor（NOP） has been involved in multiple biological functions, including pain, anxiety, cough, substance abuse, cardiovascular control, and immunity. Thus, selective NOP agonists might have clinical potential for the treatment of related diseases. In the present work, three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship（3D-QSAR） studies were performed on a series of 3-substituted N-benzhydryl-nortropane analogs as NOP agonists using comparative molecular field analysis（Co MFA） and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis（CoM SIA） techniques. The statistically significant models were obtained with 54 compounds in training set by ligand-based atom-by-atom matching alignment. The CoM FA model gave cross-validated coefficient（q2） value of 0.530 using 6 components, non-cross-validated（r2） value of 0.921 with estimated F value of 93.668, and standard error of estimate（SEE） of 0.185. The best Co MSIA model resulted in q2 = 0.592, r2 = 0.945, N = 10, SEE = 0.162, and F = 75.654, based on steric, electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrogen bond acceptor fields. The predictive ability of the Co MFA and CoM SIA models was further validated using a test set of 18 molecules that were not included in the training set, which resulted in predictive correlation coefficients（r2pred） of 0.551 and 0.637, respectively. Moreover, the CoM FA and CoM SIA contour maps identified the features important for exhibiting potent binding affinities on NOP, and can thus serve as a useful guide for the design of potential NOP agonists.