Long-term treatment with EXf, a peptide analog of Exendin-4, improves β-cell function and survival in diabetic KKAy mice.

EXf is a C-terminally truncated fragment of Exendin-4 with two amino acid substitutions. Previous studies showed that EXf controls plasma glucose level acting as a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of EXf on β-cell function and survival in diabetic KKAy mice. EXf treatment significantly improved the glucose intolerance and reduced non-fasting and fasting plasma glucose levels, as well as plasma triglyceride levels in diabetic KKAy mice. In hyperglycemic clamp test, EXf-treated mice displayed an increased glucose infusion rate and first-phase insulin secretion. Treatment with EXf also led to a significant restoration of islet morphology, an increase in Ki67 expression in β-cells, and a reduction in the number of TUNEL positive β-cells. In the pancreas, comparative transcription analysis showed up-regulation of Akt1. The up-regulation of phosphorylated Akt1 was confirmed by Western blot, and changes in the protein levels of members of the Akt1 pathway, such as PI3K, Bim, Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9, PDX-1, were observed as well. Therefore, EXf treatment could improve β-cell function and survival in diabetic KKAy mice, likely as a result of islet morphology restoration, stimulation of β-cell proliferation, and inhibition of β-cell apoptosis.