C-terminal Site-specific PEGylated Exendin-4 Analog: A Long-Acting Glucagon Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist, on Glycemic Control and Beta Cell Function in Diabetic db/db Mice

Publication date: Available online 31 August 2018Source: Journal of Pharmacological SciencesAuthor(s): Daoqi Tang, Hong Tian, Jicheng Wu, Jiaxiao Cheng, Cheng Luo, Wenbo Sai, Xiaoda Song, Xiangdong Gao, Wenbing YaoAbstractPEG modification is a common clinical strategy for prolonging the half-life of therapeutic proteins or polypeptides. In a previous work, we have successfully synthesized PEG-modified Exendin-4 (PE) by conjugating a 20 kDa PEG to the C-terminal of Exendin-4. Then, we introduced an integrative characterization for PE to evaluate its hypoglycemic activity and pharmacokinetic properties. The normoglycemic efficacies and therapeutic activity of PE were investigated in db/db mice. The hypoglycemic time after single administration of PE on db/db mice was prolonged from 8.4 h to 54.9 h. In multiple treatment with PE, the fasting blood glucose in various PE dosages (50, 150, and 250 nmol/kg) were remarkably reduced, and the glycosylated hemoglobin level was decreased to 2.0%. When the in vivo single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of PE were examined in Sprague–Dawley rats, the half-life was prolonged to 31.7 h, and no accumulation effect was observed. Overall, this study provided a novel promising therapeutic approach to improving glucose-controlling ability and extending half-life without accumulation in vivo for long-acting treatment of type-2 diabetes.
Source: Journal of Pharmacological Sciences - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research