DPP4 - Unknown, but Mostly Underrated

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.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/1PFQ.png/250px-1PFQ.png

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.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Incretins_and_DPP_4_inhibitors.svg/300px-Incretins_and_DPP_4_inhibitors.svg.png

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.

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/89/5/2078.full

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.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/431/20091123061329/www.januvia.com.sg/images/moa/MOA_2_a_chart.jpg

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.

http://www.hh.um.es/pdf/Vol_19/19_4/Pro-19-1345-1351-2004.pdf

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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.