GLP-1

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a hormone involved in insulin regulation. It was discovered when researchers found that glucose in the digestive tract led to higher insulin levels than the same amount of glucose administered directly in the blood stream. GLP-1 is produced in specialized cells in the intestine and in the pancreas, is released into the blood and has effects on cells in the pancreas, in the brain, and in many other organs. The half-life of GLP-1 is on the order of minutes, so it exerts a short-term effect unless continuously produced.

spinqualitylabelsall models Show:Asymmetric Unit Biological Assembly Drag the structure with the mouse to rotate   Export Animated Image   Print3D Structure Bound to the GLP-1 receptor, GLP-1 has an alpha-helical structure that is bent near glycine in some complexes. In solution, GLP-1 is alpha-helical in its center according to NMR data. Looking at the helix-propensity of the peptide sequence, the N-terminal part of Glp-1 (7-37) is less likely to be alpha-helical than the C-terminal half. Synthesis through proglucagon processing Proglucagon is a prohormone made of 177 amino acids (in humans). In the polypeptide form, it is inactive until processed to yield mature hormones. Proglucagon is found in the human body, specifically in L-cells (within the gut) and 𝜶-cells (within the pancreas). It is broken down using specific enzymes called prohormone convertases (PCEs). These convertases are endopeptidases (they can act in the middle of an extended peptide), different from exopeptidases DPP-4 and CPE, which also play a role in GLP-1 synthesis and degradation. In healthy individuals, PCEs produce GLP-1 precursors (a glucagon-like peptide) in L-cells and glucagon precursors in 𝜶-cells. These then are trimmed on the C-terminal side by carboxypeptidase E (CPE), and sometimes the C-terminus is amidated. Other pathways of proglucagon yield other products such as GRPP, and IP-1 in the pancreas and Glicentin, GRRP, Oxyntomodulin, and GLP-2 in the intestines . Glucagon and GLP-1 work to balance the levels of sugar in the blood. However, when a person has type 2 diabetes, they struggle to lower blood sugar on their own, due to a resistance to insulin. As a result of diabetes, proglucagon processes differently in order to adapt. For people with type 2 diabetes, proglucagon may yield GLP-1 in 𝜶-cells rather than glucagon. Degradation GLP-1 (7-39) is initially degraded by dipeptidyl peptidase IV to yield GLP-1 (9-37) (detail). Binding to receptor GLP-1 binds to the extracellular side of its receptor, GPL-1R, a G-protein coupled receptor. When bound to the receptor, GLP-1 acts as agonist.

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Karsten Theis, Michal Harel