Effect of Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors With Low SGLT2/SGLT1 Selectivity on Circulating Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new class of antidiabetic drugs that improve glycemic control by inhibiting re-absorption of glucose filtered through the renal glomerulus. Use of drugs in this class has increased because of their effect of decreasing body weight and a low risk for hypoglycemia, in addition to a relatively strong glucose-lowering effect. SGLT2 inhibitors such as canagliflozin and sotagliflozin (a SGLT1/SGLT2 dual inhibitor) also have a mild or moderate intestinal and renal SGLT1 inhibitory effect because of their relatively weak selectivity for SGLT2 over SGLT1. Recent evidence shows that these SGLT2 inhibitors with low SGLT2/ SGLT1 selectivity elevate the level of circulating glucagon like pep-tide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone that promotes insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells. This effect probably occurs partly via inhibition of intestinal SGLT1, and the elevation of active GLP-1 levels is especially apparent when these drugs are co-administered with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors. These findings suggest that a combination of canagliflozin or sotagliflozin and a DPP4 inhibitor can provide a beneficial effect associated with elevation of circulating active GLP-1 and may serve as a treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes.