Incretin therapies: highlighting common features and differences in the modes of action of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: Over the last few years, incretin-based therapies have emerged as important agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). These agents exert their effect via the incretin system, specifically targeting the receptor for the incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which is partly responsible for augmenting glucose-dependent insulin secretion in response to nutrient intake (the 'incretin effect'). In patients with T2D, pharmacological doses/concentrations of GLP-1 can compensate for the inability of diabetic β cells to respond to the main incretin hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, and this is therefore a suitable parent compound for incretin-based glucose-lowering medications. Two classes of incretin-based therapies are available: GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP

SUBMITTER: Nauck M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4785614 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature