Does Incretin Agonism Have Sustainable Efficacy?

Abstract

Recent clinical trials using synthetic incretin hormones, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists have demonstrated that these treatments ameliorated many complications related to obesity, emphasizing the significant impact of body weight on overall health. Incretins are enteroendocrine hormones secreted by gut endothelial cells triggered by nutrient ingestion. The phenomenon that oral ingestion of glucose elicits a much higher insulin secretion than intra-venous injection of equimolar glucose is known as the incretin effect. This also alludes to the thesis that food intake is the root cause of insulin resistance. Synthetic GLP-1 and GIP agonists have demonstrated unprecedented glucoregulation and body weight reduction. Also, randomized trials have shown their ability to prevent complications of obesity, including development of diabetes from prediabetes, reducing cardiovascular disease risks and renal complications in diabetic patients. Moreover, the benefits of these agonists persist among the patients who are already on metformin or insulin. The ultimate question is “Are these benefits of incretin agonism sustainable?” Chronic agonism of pancreatic β-cells may decrease the number of receptors and cause β-cell exhaustion, leading to β-cell failure. Unfortunately, the long-term effects of these drugs are unknown at the present because the longest duration in randomized trials is 3 years. Additionally, manipulation of the neurohormonal axis to control satiety and food intake may hinder the long-term sustainability of these treatments. In this review, we will discuss the incretins’ mechanism of action, challenges, and future directions. We will briefly review other molecules involved in glucose homeostasis such as amylin and glucagon. Amylin is co-expressed with insulin from the pancreas β-cells but does not have insulinotropic function. Amylin suppresses glucagon secretion, slowing gastric emptying and suppressing the reward center in the central nervous system, leading to weight loss. However, amylin can self-aggregate and cause serious cytotoxicity and may cause β-cell apoptosis. Glucagon is secreted by pancreatic α-cells and participates in glucose homeostasis in a glucose-dependent manner. In hypoglycemia, glucagon increases the blood glucose level by glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis and inhibits glycogenesis in the liver. Several triple agonists, in combination with dual incretins and glucagon, are being developed.