title: The glucagon-miniglucagon interplay: a new level in the metabolic regulation.
abstract: Miniglucagon (glucagon 19-29) is the ultimate processing product of proglucagon, present in the glucagon-secreting granules of the alpha cells, at a close vicinity of the insulin-secreting beta cells. Co-released with glucagon and thanks to its original mode of action and its huge potency, it suppresses, inside the islet of Langerhans, the detrimental effect of glucagon on insulin secretion, while it leaves untouched the beneficial effect of glucagon on glucose competence of the beta cell. At the periphery, miniglucagon is processed at the surface of glucagon- and insulin-sensitive cells from circulating glucagon. At that level, it acts via a cellular pathway which uses initial molecular steps distinct from that of insulin which, when impaired, are involved in insulin resistence. This bypass allows miniglucagon to act as an insulin-like component, a characteristic which makes this peptide of particular interest from a pathophysiological and pharmacological point of views in understanding and treating metabolic diseases, such as the type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U 376, CHU Arnaud-de-Villeneuve, 34295 Montpellier Cedex 05, France. bataille@montp.inserm.fr
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bataille
authors.forename: Ghislaine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fontés
authors.forename: Safia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costes
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longuet
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D005934:Glucagon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D005934:Glucagon; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C087976:nardilysin; D005947:Glucose