Glimepiride Administered in Chow Reversibly Impairs Glucose Tolerance in Mice

J Diabetes Res. 2018 Oct 29:2018:1251345. doi: 10.1155/2018/1251345. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Sulfonylureas are a class of antidiabetes medications prescribed to millions of individuals worldwide. Rodents have been used extensively to study sulfonylureas in the laboratory. Here, we report the results of studies treating mice with a sulfonylurea (glimepiride) in order to understand how the drug affects glucose homeostasis and tolerance. We tested the effect of glimepiride on fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance, and insulin secretion, using glimepiride sourced from a local pharmacy. We also examined the effect on glucagon, gluconeogenesis, and insulin sensitivity. Unexpectedly, glimepiride exposure in mice was associated with fasting hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, and decreased insulin. There was no change in circulating glucagon levels or gluconeogenesis. The effect was dose-dependent, took effect by two weeks, and was reversed within three weeks after removal. Glimepiride elicited the same effects in all strains evaluated: four wild-type strains, as well as the transgenic Grn-/- and diabetic db/db mice. Our findings suggest that the use of glimepiride as a hypoglycemic agent in mice should proceed with caution and may have broader implications about mouse models as a proxy to study the human pharmacopeia.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Gluconeogenesis / drug effects
  • Glucose Intolerance / blood
  • Glucose Intolerance / drug therapy*
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Insulin / blood
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Obese
  • Pregnancy
  • Species Specificity
  • Sulfonylurea Compounds / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Insulin
  • Sulfonylurea Compounds
  • glimepiride