Secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in type 2 diabetes: what is up, what is down?

M A Nauck, I Vardarli, C F Deacon, Jens Juul Holst, Joachim Meier

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

385 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The incretin hormones gastric inhibitory polypeptide and especially glucagon-like peptide (GLP) have an important physiological function in augmenting postprandial insulin secretion. Since GLP-1 may play a role in the pathophysiology and treatment of type 2 diabetes, assessment of meal-related GLP-1 secretory responses in type 2 diabetic patients vs healthy individuals is of great interest. A common view states that GLP-1 secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes is deficient and that this applies to a lesser degree in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance. Such a deficiency is the rationale for replacing endogenous incretins with GLP-1 receptor agonists or re-normalising active GLP-1 concentrations with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors. This review summarises the literature on this topic, including a meta-analysis of published studies on GLP-1 secretion in individuals with and without diabetes after oral glucose and mixed meals. Our analysis does not support the contention of a generalised defect in nutrient-related GLP-1 secretory responses in type 2 diabetes patients. Rather, factors are identified that may determine individual incretin secretory responses and explain some of the variations in published findings of group differences in GLP-1 responses to nutrient intake.
Original languageEnglish
JournalDiabetologia
Volume54
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)10-18
Number of pages9
ISSN0012-186X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
  • Humans
  • Incretins
  • Meta-Analysis as Topic
  • Models, Biological

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