The protection of islet β-cells in db/db mice by combination pioglitazone and glucagon like peptide-1 treatment / 中华内科杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectivesTo evaluate the effect of combination of liraglutide,a glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue and pioglitazone,an insulin sensitizer,on diabetic db/db mice.MethodsThirty-five 8-week old male db/db mice were divided into control group (n = 8 ),pioglitazone group (n =9 ),liraglutide group (n =9) and combined therapeutic group (n =9),which was given normal saline 0.1 ml,2/d,pioglitazone 24 mg· kg-1 · d-1 (feed contained 0.02％ pioglitazone) + normal saline 0.1 ml,2/d,liraglutide 300 mg/kg,2/d,and pioglitazone 20 mg · kg-1 · d -1 ( feed contained 0.02％ pioglitazone) +liraglutide 300 mg/kg,2/d,respectively.Liraglutide were given at 8:00 and 16:00 via subcutaneous injection after having been diluted with sterilized normal saline.Effect on glucose,lipid metabolism and islet β-cell preservation were assessed after 4 weeks.Oneway ANOVA was adopted for statistical analysis.Results Combination therapy displayed promising anti-hyperglycemic[glycosylated hemoglobin Alc: (4.5 ± 0.6)％vs.(7.3 ±0.4)％,P ＜ 0.001].Glucose tolerance were improved assessed by area under curve(AUC) of glucose by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT)[(1814 ±91 ) mmol · min · L-1 vs.(4042 ±183) mmol · min · L-1,P ＜0.001];insulin release response to glucose were also preserved as AUC of insulin by IPGTT was higher[( 1639 ±372) μg · min · L-1 vs.(834 ±201 )μg · min · L-1].Combination therapy also reduced circulated free fatty acids and TG[( 202.0 ± 20.4 ) μmol/L vs.( 272.5 ± 21.7 )μmol/L,(0.81 ± 0.28) mmol/L vs.( 1.35 ± 0.21 ) mmol/L],and increased plasma adiponectin [(16.7±2.0)mg/L vs.(10.2±1.8)mg/L].All P value ＜0.05.Islet immunohistochemistry showed that combination therapy significantly increased insulin positive area were[( 59.5 ± 1.5 ) ％ vs.( 22.4 ±1.5) ％]and ratio of Brdu positive β-cells was three folds than vehicle-treated mice[( 2.4 ± 0.5 ) ％ vs.(0.8 ±0.3)％],both greater than each single treatment.Combined therapy significantly improved islet β cell/α cell distribution,which led to islet recovery.ConclusionsCombined therapy improves glucose and lipid metabolism,preserves islet β-cell function and stimulates β-cell proliferation,greater than either liraglutide or pioglitazone treatment alone.