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Activation of the HPA Axis Does Not Explain Nonresponsiveness to GLP-1R Agonist Treatment in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes.
Diabetes · 2025
Last updated 2026-05-28A study compared people with type 2 diabetes who responded to GLP-1 drugs with those who did not, looking at a stress-related system called the HPA axis. The researchers found no difference in HPA axis activity or pituitary GLP-1 receptor levels between the two groups. They also observed that men had significantly higher uptake of a radiolabeled GLP-1 drug in the pituitary gland compared to women.
AI summary of the abstract below.
| Journal | Diabetes, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Citations | 4 |
| Molecules | — |
| Conditions studied | Type 2 Diabetes |
Abstract
It is unclear why some individuals with type 2 diabetes are unresponsive to treatment with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, but hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation could play a role. We used [68Ga]Ga-NODAGA-exendin-4 positron emission tomography/computed tomography to compare pituitary GLP-1R expression between responders and nonresponders to treatment with GLP-1R agonists. Pituitary GLP-1R expression and HPA axis activation did not differ between responders and nonresponders to GLP-1R agonist treatment. In addition, pituitary radiolabeled exendin uptake was markedly higher in men than in women. Further study is required to explain treatment differences and understand sex differences in pituitary radiolabeled exendin uptake.
Verbatim abstract via PubMed 39561332 ↗