The acute glucose lowering effect of specific GPR120 activation in mice is mainly driven by glucagon-like peptide 1

PLoS One. 2017 Dec 5;12(12):e0189060. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189060. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

The mechanism behind the glucose lowering effect occurring after specific activation of GPR120 is not completely understood. In this study, a potent and selective GPR120 agonist was developed and its pharmacological properties were compared with the previously described GPR120 agonist Metabolex-36. Effects of both compounds on signaling pathways and GLP-1 secretion were investigated in vitro. The acute glucose lowering effect was studied in lean wild-type and GPR120 null mice following oral or intravenous glucose tolerance tests. In vitro, in GPR120 overexpressing cells, both agonists signaled through Gαq, Gαs and the β-arrestin pathway. However, in mouse islets the signaling pathway was different since the agonists reduced cAMP production. The GPR120 agonists stimulated GLP-1 secretion both in vitro in STC-1 cells and in vivo following oral administration. In vivo GPR120 activation induced significant glucose lowering and increased insulin secretion after intravenous glucose administration in lean mice, while the agonists had no effect in GPR120 null mice. Exendin 9-39, a GLP-1 receptor antagonist, abolished the GPR120 induced effects on glucose and insulin following an intravenous glucose challenge. In conclusion, GLP-1 secretion is an important mechanism behind the acute glucose lowering effect following specific GPR120 activation.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism*
  • CHO Cells
  • Cell Line
  • Cricetulus
  • Cyclic AMP / biosynthesis
  • Female
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / pharmacology*
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Humans
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin Secretion
  • Islets of Langerhans / drug effects
  • Islets of Langerhans / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / agonists*
  • Signal Transduction
  • beta-Arrestins / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • GPR20 protein, human
  • Insulin
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • beta-Arrestins
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
  • Cyclic AMP
  • GTP-Binding Proteins

Grants and funding

The present study was funded by AstraZeneca. The funder provided support in the form of salaries for all authors [LS, SM, MS, AA, WM, PR, SDG, MP, CAN, LK, MN, MSW], but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.