Exendin-4 prevents lipoapoptosis

Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance are associated with atherosclerosis, which is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Experimental studies have indicated that endothelial cells play an important role in maintaining vascular homeostasis.

Erdogdu et al. conducted a study to investigate the putative protective effect of exendin-4 (a stable incretin mimetic and GLP1 receptor agonist) and GLP1 against lipoapoptosis of HCAECs and attempt to address the pathways involved in imparting such an effect. They found that long-term exposure of HCAECs to palmitate induces apoptosis, eNOS activity, ROS release, and production of NO. Exendin-4 and GLP1 confer protection against this lipoapoptosis mediated through the GLP1 receptor involving PKA-, eNOS-, p38 MAPK-, and JNK-dependent pathways. These effects, demonstrated in vitro, might serve to limit the adverse consequences of the macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes as dysfunction of endothelial cells is believed to contribute to premature development of atherosclerosis.

Read the full article in Erdogdu et al (2013) Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 50 229-241 DOI: 10.1530/JME-12-0166