title: Glucagon like Peptide-1 and atherosclerosis.
abstract: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at high risk for developing cardiovascular diseases. Traditional medicines for type 2 diabetes, such as sulfonylureas, pioglitazone, and insulin have glucose lowering effects; however, they also increase the frequency of hypoglycemia and/or body weight and thus may cancel out the benefits of glucose lowering on the development of atherosclerosis. In contrast, the recently developed glucagon like peptide-1-based therapy using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors has numerous beneficial effects in the management of hyperglycemia with less risk of hypoglycemia and weight gain. Glucagon-like peptide-1-based therapy also lowers blood pressure and blood lipids and thus may prevent progression of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, glucagonlike peptide-1 receptors are abundantly expressed in vascular cells such as endothelial cells, monocyte/macrophages and smooth muscle cells. Recent studies suggest that the anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory properties of glucagon-like peptide-1 signaling on endothelial cells, its anti-inflammatory effect on macrophages and anti-proliferative effects on smooth muscle cells may halt atherosclerosis. Although large clinical trials are required to confirm these beneficial effects, glucagon-like peptide-1-based therapy could provide both glucose lowering and protection against cardiovascular diseases in patients with type 2 diabetes.
authors: Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Tomoya
authors: T
authors: Mita
authors: Hirotaka
authors: H
authors: Watada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon / Q000819:agonists* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors; C000593833:GLP1R protein, human; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon