Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonist Usage and Safety Study

抄録

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin, a general term for gastrointestinal hormones that enhance insulin secretion in a glucose concentration-dependent manner. GLP-1 has been shown to improve blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes and promote extrapancreatic effects such as weight loss and lipid level improvements. The GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) liraglutide and semaglutide have already been approved for weight loss treatment in addition to their use in treating type 2 diabetes in the United States and Europe, with specific conditions for obesity indications. In Japan, semaglutide has been approved as a treatment for obesity; however, it has not yet been marketed. Therefore, there have been reports on the unrestricted (off-label) use of GLP-1RAs for cosmetic and weight-loss purposes, which is considered problematic. As the use of GLP-1RAs is expected to increase in the future and is not limited to treating type 2 diabetes, this study investigated the use of GLP-1RAs and confirmed their safety in cell cultures exposed to GLP-1RAs. The culture of gastrointestinal epithelial cells using the three components of GLP-1RAs (liraglutide, semaglutide, and dulaglutide), which are prescribed in large quantities, suggested that exposure to high doses for 24 h did not affect cell viability or total cell protein content compared to controls, suggesting that the drug has not injurious after short-term exposure to the gastrointestinal epithelium.