Research stage to the University of California - Davis, United States

• Grant number: 16/17543-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 02, 2017
• End date: March 03, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Áureo Evangelista Santana
• Grantee: Juliana Aparecida Do Carmo Emidio e Silva
• Supervisor: Chen Gilor
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of California, Davis (UC Davis), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/07491-8 - Suitability and follow-up by elastography in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism under trilostane therapy, BP.IC

Abstract

GLP-1 analogs are widely used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in people. Their prolonged half-life enable relatively infrequent administration (once weekly in people) and greatly increase patient compliance. In long-term clinical trials comparing GLP-1 analogs to insulin therapy, GLP-1 analogs are more effective in controlling hyperglycemia but with decreased frequency of hypoglycemic events. Unlike insulin, GLP-1 analogs promote weight loss and not weight gain. As in people, GLP-1 analogs improve glucose tolerance, induce glucose-dependent insulin secretion and promote weight loss. However, their high cost prevent them from becoming a wide spread treatment modality for diabetes and obesity in cats. Here we propose to study the pharmacology a novel long-acting GLP-1 analog in health cats. A GLP-1 analog will be injected subcutaneously and serum concentrations will be measured. Trough GLP-1 analog concentrations will be measured weekly (prior to each injection). The effect of the drug on glycemic control will be measured by the glucose clamp method. During the clamp, hyperglycemia will be induced by intravenous administration of glucose at a changing rate with the goal of maintaining blood glucose constant at 225 mg/dL for 60 minutes. Total amount of glucose infused as well as insulin and glucagon concentrations will be compared between the pre and post-treatment clamps. Glycemic control will also be assessed by continuous glucose monitoring. Safety will be assessed by monitoring the injection site and by continuous glucose monitoring. If the pharmacology of this GLP-1 analog in cats is similar to that described in people, it could revolutionize the treatment of feline diabetes. (AU)