title: Glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists and the development and growth of pancreatic beta-cells.
abstract: Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is an intestine-derived insulinotropic hormone that stimulates glucose-dependent insulin production and secretion from pancreatic beta-cells. Other recognized actions of GLP-1 are to suppress glucagon secretion and hepatic glucose output, delay gastric emptying, reduce food intake, and promote glucose disposal in peripheral tissues. All of these actions are potentially beneficial for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several GLP-1 agonists are in clinical trials for the treatment of diabetes. More recently, GLP-1 agonists have been shown to stimulate the growth and differentiation of pancreatic beta-cells, as well as to exert cytoprotective, antiapoptotic effects on beta-cells. Recent evidence indicates that GLP-1 agonists act on receptors on pancreas-derived stem/progenitor cells to prompt their differentiation into beta-cells. These new findings suggest an approach to create beta-cells in vitro by expanding stem/progenitor cells and then to convert them into beta-cells by treatment with GLP-1. Thus GLP-1 may be a means by which to create beta-cells ex vivo for transplantation into patients with insulinopenic type 1 diabetes and severe forms of type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 55 Fruit St., WEL 320, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: List
authors.forename: Joel F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Habener
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005934:Glucagon / Q000819:agonists* / Q000502:physiology*; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology*; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000819:agonists* / Q000502:physiology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000819:agonists* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D005934:Glucagon