Dipeptidyl
Peptidase 4 (DPP4)
DPP4 is an
antigenic enzyme that participates in a wide range of immune
regulations, signal transduction, and apoptosis. DPP4 resides in the
membrane and serves as a glucose metabolism regulator along with the
ability to work as a suppressor in the development of cancers and
tumors.
What makes
DPP4 SO important is its ability to be manipulated by medications to
provide such astonishing results in diabetes treatments and
cancer/tumor treatments.
DIABETES
In patients
with type II diabetes, DPP4 inhibition drugs can used to more or less
cure the symptoms related to the disease.
DPP4
inactivates GLP-1, a gut hormone responsible for increased insulin
secretion and decreased glucagon release, as well as incretin which
has a very similar action. When drugs are administered to decrease
the efficiency of DPP4, GLP-1 and insulin are able to function
longer, decreasing blood glucose, increasing glucose uptake. For
someone who is hypoglycemic or insulinemia, manipulation of the
protein DPP4 can be very attractive as a solution to both of those
problems.
Figure 1.
Shows the results of a 4 week treatment of LAF237, a DPP4 inhibitor,
vs Placebo.
A
4 week study was done to show the effects of taking a DPP4 inhibitor
in people with mild type II diabetes. The patients had increased
glucose tolerance after meal ingestion leading to decrease in
glycemia. Figure 1 shows that glucose levels for patients using
LAF237 were much better than those given the placebo while insulin
levels remained significantly indifferent leading to a more
manageable glucagon response.
Figure 2.
Shows the pathways of
gastrointestinal hormones with regards to glycemic control.
There
are many more examples of this as well in the literature. Whats so
great about DPP4? The roles it plays in hormonal regulation and the
ability to manipulate it!
CANCER
The multifunctional
nature of this molecule can be attributed to its expression
associated with decreased cancer progression of certain cancers. This
allows the enzyme to use several of its different mechanisms applied
to specific situations, such as tumor development. It is also very
capable of breaking down many kinds of chemokines which are known to
have different effects on tumor growth.
Chemokines that are
substrates for the DPP-4 enzyme include eotaxin, macrophage-drived
chemokine, interferon inducible chemokines, and a few chemokines
involved in the inhibition of HIV.
DPP4 plays an
essential role in human T cells. When T cells are activated, DPP4 is
up-regulated in response since it plays an important role in most T
cell functions. With it's huge involvement with T cells it is no
surprise that DPP4 is looked upon as a therapeutic possibility for
tumor treatments.
Due to DPP4's membrane home, it extracellular binding capabilities can influence tumor growth by interfering with tumor adhesion, migration and metastasis. The potential of DPP4 for treatment in cancer therapies is being a wider range of interest due to its many capabilities.
Due to DPP4's membrane home, it extracellular binding capabilities can influence tumor growth by interfering with tumor adhesion, migration and metastasis. The potential of DPP4 for treatment in cancer therapies is being a wider range of interest due to its many capabilities.
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Conclusion
DPP4
is vital to proper glucose regulation in the body. It is the quarter
back in regulation of blood glucose levels. Many of our treatments
for diabetes target the symptoms, not the problem. DPP4 can be called
upon to make the glucose metabolism systems in the body run at their
finest whether its playing DPP4 all the time, or letting him rest and
allow his abilities to be wondered.
DPP4
is a very coach-able protein with magnitudes of talent. It accepts no
defeat, and always does as its told for the better outcome of the
glucose metabolism team!
Accept
DPP4 onto your team, and allow yourself to have the best run glucose
regulation and tumor control in the league!
DPP4's
abilities in health care has only seen the tip of the ice berg at
this point. If you vote for DPP4 awareness will get out and research
will be put in place to uncover the truth behind this mind boggling
enzyme.
