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Year: 2009

The dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor NVP-DPP728 reducesplasma glucagon concentration in cats

Furrer, D; Kaufmann, K; Tschuor, F; Reusch, C E; Lutz, T A

Furrer, D; Kaufmann, K; Tschuor, F; Reusch, C E; Lutz, T A (2009). The dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitorNVP-DPP728 reduces plasma glucagon concentration in cats. Veterinary Journal:Epub ahead of print.Postprint available at:http://www.zora.uzh.ch

Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich.http://www.zora.uzh.ch

Originally published at:Veterinary Journal 2009, :Epub ahead of print.

Furrer, D; Kaufmann, K; Tschuor, F; Reusch, C E; Lutz, T A (2009). The dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitorNVP-DPP728 reduces plasma glucagon concentration in cats. Veterinary Journal:Epub ahead of print.Postprint available at:http://www.zora.uzh.ch

Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich.http://www.zora.uzh.ch

Originally published at:Veterinary Journal 2009, :Epub ahead of print.

The dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor NVP-DPP728 reducesplasma glucagon concentration in cats

Abstract

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues and inhibitors of its degrading enzyme, dipeptidyl peptidaseIV (DPPIV), are interesting therapy options in human diabetics because they increase insulin secretionand reduce postprandial glucagon secretion. Given the similar pathophysiology of human type 2 andfeline diabetes mellitus, this study investigated whether the DPPIV inhibitor NVP-DPP728 reducesplasma glucagon levels in cats. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (ivGTT; 0.5g/kg glucose after 12hfasting) and a meal response test (test meal of 50% of average daily food intake, offered after 24hfasting) were performed in healthy experimental cats. NVP-DPP728 (0.5-2.5mg/kg IV or SC)significantly reduced glucagon output in all tests and increased insulin output in the ivGTT. Follow-upstudies will investigate the potential usefulness as therapy in diabetic cats.

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Short Communication 1

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The dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor NVP-DPP728 reduces plasma glucagon 3 concentration in cats 4

Daniela Furrer a, Karin Kaufmann b, Flurin Tschuor b, Claudia E. Reusch b, Thomas A. Lutz a,* 5 6

a Institute of Veterinary Physiology, 7 b Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, 8

Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH 8057 Zurich, Switzerland 9

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* Corresponding author. Tel.: +41-44-6358808; fax: +41-44-6358932. 12

E-mail address: tomlutz@vetphys.uzh.ch (Thomas A. Lutz) 13

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2

Abstract 14

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues and inhibitors of its degrading enzyme, 15

dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV), are interesting therapy options in human diabetics because 16

they increase insulin secretion and reduce postprandial glucagon secretion. Given the similar 17

pathophysiology of human type 2 and feline diabetes mellitus, we investigated whether the 18

DPPIV inhibitor NVP-DPP728 reduces plasma glucagon levels in cats. We performed 19

intravenous (IV) glucose tolerance tests (ivGTT; 0.5g/kg glucose after 12h fasting) and a meal 20

response test (test meal of 50% of average daily food intake, offered after 24h fasting) in healthy 21

experimental cats. NVP-DPP728 (0.5 – 2.5 mg/kg IV or SC) significantly reduced glucagon 22

output in all tests and increased insulin output in the ivGTT. Follow-up studies will investigate 23

the potential usefulness for therapy in diabetic cats. 24

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Keywords: Glucagon-like peptide-1; Dipeptidyl peptidase IV; Glucagon; Cat; Diabetes mellitus. 26

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3

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrinopathies in cats. Current treatment 28

mainly relies on insulin and feeding low carbohydrate diets. Effective lowering of blood glucose 29

levels requires aggressive insulin therapy, bearing the risk of insulin-induced hypoglycemia. 30

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is released by endocrine intestinal cells in response to eating. 31

GLP-1 is an interesting treatment option in type 2 diabetics because it potentiates glucose-32

induced insulin secretion, improves beta-cell proliferation, reduces beta-cell apoptosis and also 33

decreases postprandial glucagon secretion. GLP-1’s effects are blunted in hypoglycemia, 34

therefore avoiding dangerously low glucose levels (Nauck, 1998; Holst, 2002; Nielsen et al., 35

2004). Endogenous GLP-1 is degraded rapidly by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV). Its half-life 36

in rodents is 1–1.5 min (Nauck, 1998). GLP-1 action can be enhanced by delaying its 37

degradation using DPPIV inhibitors, such as NVP-DPP728 (1-[2-[5-cyanopyridin-2-38

yl)amino]ethylamino] acetyl-2-cyano-(S)-pyrrolidide monohydrochloride) (Balkan et al., 1999). 39

40

Hyperglucagonemia is a metabolic hallmark in human type 2 diabetics (Ritzel et al., 41

1995; Holst, 2002) but also diabetic cats (Tschuor et al., 2006). We therefore investigated if 42

NVP-DPP728 reduces plasma glucagon in cats. The doses (0.5 – 2.5 mg/kg) were adapted from 43

effective doses in rodents and humans (Ahren et al., 2002; Ahren and Hughes, 2005). Blood 44

glucose and insulin were also measured because GLP-1 increases glucose-induced insulin 45

secretion in rodents and humans (Nauck, 1998; Holst, 2002; Nielsen et al., 2004). 46

47

All procedures were approved by the Veterinary Office Zurich. Twelve healthy male 48

castrated domestic short-hair cats (Harlan; 16-24 months old, body weight 4.9 ± 0.4 kg) were 49

4

kept under a 12 h light/dark cycle and fed canned food (Purina Veterinary Diet: Diabetes 50

Management, Nestlé Purina) twice daily to maintain stable body weight. Cats were sedated with 51

ketamine (Ketaminol, Veterinaria; 5-7 mg/kg, IM) and midazolam (Dormicum, Roche; 0.2 52

mg/kg, IM), followed by propofol anesthesia (Propofol, Fresenius Kabi; 6-7 mg/kg, IV) to 53

implant a jugular catheter (Seldinger, 1953). Cats were subjected to two intravenous (IV) glucose 54

tolerance tests (ivGTT) and a meal response test. All tests were performed with six cats using a 55

cross-over design and 4 weeks between trials. 56

57

Blood glucose was measured with an automated photometric test (COBAS MIRA, 58

Roche). Insulin and glucagon were measured in EDTA plasma containing aprotinine (Trasylol, 59

Bayer; 500KIU/mL plasma), by radioimmunoassay (RIA) (insulin: Linco Porcine Insulin RIA 60

Kit; glucagon: ICN Biomedicals) validated before use (Zini et al., in press). Area under the curve 61

(AUC) was calculated above baseline of each animal. This was used to compute average AUC. 62

Values are given as mean ± SEM. Experiments were analyzed by paired Student’s t-tests with P 63

< 0.05 considered significant. 64

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Cats were fasted overnight before ivGTT. After basal blood sample, saline or NVP-66

DPP728 (dissolved in saline) were injected IV (0.5 mg/kg). In a second experiment saline or 67

NVP-DPP728 were injected subcutaneously (SC; 1mg/kg). Thirty min (IV) or 40 min (SC) later, 68

D-glucose (0.5 g/kg; 50% dextrose solution, Kantonsapotheke Zürich, Switzerland) was injected 69

over 30 s via the jugular catheter. A lower dose of glucose was used than recommended to 70

achieve maximal insulin secretion (Hoenig et al., 2002) to test whether inhibition of GLP-1 71

degradation further increases glucose-induced insulin secretion. Eight blood samples were 72

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obtained from 3 to 180 min after glucose. In the first test, plasma glucose in controls increased 73

from 4.6 ± 0.2 mmol/L to 27.6 ± 3.5 mmol/L 3 min after glucose administration. Glucose levels 74

and time course were unaffected by NVP-DPP728 (0.5 mg/kg IV). Insulin peaked 15 min after 75

glucose (37.4 ± 5.8 µIU/mL versus 9.2 ± 0.5 µIU/mL [baseline]). Total insulin output (AUC) 76

over 15 min increased significantly (P < 0.05) by about 20% by NVP-DPP728. Glucose time-77

dependently decreased plasma glucagon with the lowest level reached after 3 min (214 ± 30 78

pg/mL versus 367 ± 65 pg/mL [baseline]). This decrease was stronger after NVP-DPP728 (201 ± 79

29 pg/mL versus 471 ± 85 pg/mL [baseline]). Overall, NVP-DPP728 significantly reduced 80

glucagon output (Fig. 1). 81

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In the second ivGTT, glucose increased from 4.4 ± 0.1 mmol/L to 28.9 ± 4.6 mmol/L 3 83

min after injection. Insulin peaked 15 min after glucose (36.8 ± 5.5 µIU/mL versus 8.6 ± 0.4 84

µIU/mL [baseline]). Insulin output (AUC over 15 min) increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 85

about 25% after NVP-DPP728 (1 mg/kg SC). Glucose significantly decreased plasma glucagon. 86

This was significantly more pronounced after NVP-DPP728 (Fig. 1). 87

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Cats were fasted for 24 h before the meal response test. After basal blood sample, saline 89

or NVP-DPP728 (2.5 mg/kg) were injected SC. Pilot tests indicated that a higher dose of NVP-90

DPP728 is necessary than during ivGTT, possibly because glucose may be a stronger acute 91

stimulus for the pancreas than a meal. Forty min later, the test meal (50% of average daily food 92

intake) was offered which was consumed within 10 min. Blood was sampled at meal ending (0 93

min) and for the following 5 h, and treated as above. No postprandial hyperglycemia was 94

present, irrespective of treatment. Insulin was significantly higher (18.7 ± 1.6 µIU/mL versus 8.6 95

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± 0.4 µIU/mL [baseline]; n = 6) 15 min after meal ending. Total insulin secretion (AUC) was 96

unaffected by NVP-DPP728. Plasma glucagon significantly increased after the test meal (1 h: 97

224 ± 32 pg/ml versus 171 ± 29 pg/ml [baseline]). Total glucagon output over 1 h after the test 98

meal was significantly reduced by NVP-DPP728 (Fig. 2). Despite a clear trend, significance was 99

not reached at individual time points or for glucagon output over 5 h. 100

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The present study shows that plasma glucagon in cats was lower after single peripheral 102

injection of the DPPIV inhibitor NVP-DPP728. This was observed in both ivGTT’s and the meal 103

response test. Insulin output was increased during the ivGTT. Even though GLP-1 was not 104

directly measured here due to the lack of a specific assay, we presume that the reduction in 105

glucagon and increase in insulin by NVP-DPP728 was due to reduced degradation of 106

endogenous GLP-1, similar to what is known from other species (Balkan et al., 1999). 107

108

GLP-1 reduces glucagon secretion in rodents and humans and normalizes diabetic 109

hyperglucagonemia (Ritzel et al., 1995; Holst, 2002). We provide indirect evidence that similar 110

mechanisms may be active in cats because inhibition of DPPIV lowered plasma glucagon under all test 111

conditions. Because hyperglucagonemia is present in diabetic cats (diabetic cats at baseline: approx. 112

1300 pg/mL versus 350 pg/mL in healthy controls; Tschuor et al., 2006), our findings suggest that 113

further studies should test DPPIV inhibitors for the treatment of feline diabetes. Higher doses seem to be 114

required for SC than IV administration of NVP-DPP728. This may be due to different bioavailability. 115

DPPIV inhibitors can also be administered orally, but effective doses would have to be tested. 116

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Our study has some limitations. First, one may argue that the effects of NVP-DPP728 on 118

plasma glucagon were rather small and therefore potentially of little relevance. Of note, however, 119

we used young healthy cats of normal body weight. We believe that the effects of NVP-DPP728 120

on glucagon may be stronger in diabetic cats because GLP-1’s biological actions generally are 121

more pronounced during hyperglycemia than during normoglycemia (Nauck, 1998; Nielsen et 122

al., 2004). This needs to be tested in follow-up studies. Lack of postprandial hyperglycemia may 123

also explain why NVP-DPP728 did not increase insulin levels during the meal response test. 124

Second, GLP-1 levels were not directly measured because a specific assay for feline GLP-1 is 125

not available. Nonetheless, data from other species suggest that NVP-DPP728’s effect relies on 126

inhibition of GLP-1 degradation. 127

128

In summary, we provide evidence that inhibition of GLP-1 degradation may lower 129

plasma glucagon in cats. GLP-1 analogues or DPPIV inhibitors may therefore bear therapeutic 130

potential in diabetic cats. At the doses tested, NVP-DPP728 produced no adverse side effects. 131

132

Conflict of interest statement 133

None of the authors of this paper has a financial or personal relationship with other 134

people or organisations that could inappropriately influence or bias the concept of the paper. 135

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Acknowledgements 137

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The critical comments by Dr. Eric Zini, Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, are 138

gratefully acknowledged. Special thanks to Marychelo Rios for taking care of our experimental 139

animals. We also thank Novartis Pharma for the supply of NVP-DPP728. Research funds 140

supplied by the Vetsuisse Faculty are gratefully acknowledged. 141

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References 142

Ahrén, B., Simonsson, E., Larsson, H., Landin-Olsson, M., Torgeirsson, H., Jansson, P.A., 143 Sandqvist, M., Bavenholm, P., Efendic, S., Eriksson, J.W., Dickinson, S., Holmes, D., 2002. 144 Inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV improves metabolic control over a 4-week study period in 145 type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 25, 869-875. 146

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Ahrén, B., Hughes T.E., 2005. Inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV augments insulin secretion 148 in response to exogenously administered glucagon-like peptide-1, glucose-dependent 149 insulinotropic polypeptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide, and gastrin-150 releasing peptide in mice. Endocrinology 146, 2055-2059. 151

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Balkan, B., Kwasnik, L., Miserendino, R., Holst, J.J., Li X., 1999. Inhibition of dipeptidyl 153 peptidase IV with NVP-DPP728 increases plasma GLP-1 (7-36 amide) concentrations and 154 improves oral glucose tolerance in obese Zucker rats. Diabetologia 42, 1324-1331. 155

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Hoenig, M., Alexander, S., Holson, J., Ferguson, D.C., 2002. Influence of glucose dosage on 157 interpretation of intravenous glucose tolerance tests in lean and obese cats. Journal of Veterinary 158 Internal Medicine 16, 529-532. 159

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Holst, J.J., 2002. Therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on the actions of the glucagons-like 161 peptide-1. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews 18, 430-441. 162

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Nauck, M.A., 1998. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1): a potent gut hormone with a possible 164 therapeutic perspective. Acta Diabetologica 35, 117-129. 165

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Nielsen, L.L., Young, A.A., Parkes, D.G., 2004. Pharmacology of exenatide (synthetic exendin-167 4): a potential therapeutic for improved glycemic control of type 2 diabetes. Regulatory Peptides 168 117, 77-88. 169

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Ritzel, R., Orskov, C., Holst, J.J., Nauck M.A., 1995. Pharmacokinetic, insulinotropic and 171 glucagonostatic properties of GLP-1 (7-36 amide) after subcutaneous injection in healthy 172 volounteers. Dose-response relationships. Diabetologia 38, 720-725. 173

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Seldinger, S.I., 1953. Catheter replacement of the needle in percutaneous arteriography. Acta 175 Radiologica 39, 368-376. 176

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Tschuor, F., Furrer, D., Kaufmann, K., Lutz, T.A., Reusch, C.E., 2006. Intravenous arginine 178 stimulation test in cats with transient and non-transient diabetes mellitus. Journal of Veterinary 179 Internal Medicine 20, 725-726. 180

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Zini E., Osto, M., Franchini, M., Guscetti, F., Donath, M.Y., Perren, A., Heller, R.S., Linscheid, 182 P., Bouwman, M., Ackermann, M., Lutz, T.A., Reusch, C.E. Hyperglycaemia but not 183 hyperlipidaemia causes beta-cell dysfunction and beta-cell loss in the domestic cat. Diabetologia 184 (in press). 185

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Legends to figures 187

Fig. 1: In two independent experiments, NVP-DPP728 (0.5 mg/kg IV or 1 mg/kg SC; n = 6 for 188

all groups) significantly reduced plasma glucagon in ivGTT’s in 12 h-fasted cats, as assessed by 189

AUC during the first 15 min after glucose. * significantly different from respective control (P < 190

0.05). 191

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Fig. 2: NVP-DPP728 (2.5 mg/kg SC) significantly reduced plasma glucagon in a meal response 193

test in six 24 h-fasted cats, as assessed by AUC 1 h after the end of meal. * significantly different 194

from control (P < 0.05). 195

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Fig. 1 197

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