Improved glucose tolerance and insulin secretion by inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in mice.

We explored whether inhibition of the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) increases endogenous levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and improves glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in mice. Glucose (150 mg) was administered through a gastric gavage with or without the inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase IV, valine-pyrrolidide (100 micromol/kg), in high-fat fed glucose intolerant or control C57BL/6J mice. The increase in plasma GLP-1 after gastric glucose was potentiated by dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibition (P<0.05). Valine-pyrrolidide also potentiated the plasma insulin response to gastric glucose and improved the glucose tolerance in both groups of mice (P<0.001). In contrast, valine-pyrrolidide did not affect glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated islets. This suggests that valine-pyrrolidide improves insulin secretion and glucose tolerance through indirect action, probably through augmentation of levels of GLP-1 and other incretin hormones. Therefore, inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity is feasible to exploit as a treatment for glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes.