Rational design and evaluation of GLP-1 derivative for treating hyperglycemia combined with overexercise-induced myocardial injury

Life Sci. 2021 May 1:272:119030. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119030. Epub 2021 Jan 13.

Abstract

Aims: To design and evaluate the anti-hyperglycemia and overexercise-induced myocardial injury efficacies of a novel long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based therapeutic peptide in rodent animals.

Main methods: Here, we designed and prepared a new pro-drug, termed RYHSB-1, which was connected by a mutated GLP-1(A8G) and an albumin binding peptide via a protease-cleavable linker. Moreover, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was applied to detect its binding affinity for HSA. GLP-1 release assay was conducted in mouse serum in vitro and quantified using LC-MS/MS method. Modified intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), chronic efficacies study in rodent animals with overexercise-induced myocardial injury were subjected to evaluate the druggability of RYHSB-1.

Results: RYHSB-1 with purity over 99% was prepared and ITC measurement demonstrated high binding affinity for HSA with KD of 0.06 μM. Protease cleavage assay demonstrated slowly controlled-release of transient GLP-1 from RYHSB-1 under the hydrolysis catalyzed by thrombin in vitro. Moreover, IPGTT showed clearly dose-dependent glucose-lowering efficacies of RYHSB-1 within 0.1-0.9 mg/kg. The prolonged anti-diabetic efficacy of RYHSB-1 was further assessed via multiple IPGTTs and hypoglycemic duration test. Furthermore, long-term administration of RYHSB-1 in diabetic mice achieved promising efficacies on hyperglycemia and overexercise-induced myocardial injury.

Significance: RYHSB-1 holds outstanding pharmaceutical potential as an anti- overexercise-induced myocardial injury drug. The strategy of albumin-conjugation also could be applied to other active peptides develop long effecting therapeutic drugs.

Keywords: GLP-1; Hyperglycemia; Myocardial injury; Overexercise; Thrombin.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / analogs & derivatives*
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / pharmacology*
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor / metabolism
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Hyperglycemia / drug therapy*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology
  • Liraglutide / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred DBA
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Glucagon / metabolism
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Receptors, Glucagon
  • Liraglutide
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
  • Glucose