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DPP4 Inhibition & Beta Cell Function

Role of Alpha-cell GLP-1 in the Beta-cell Response to DPP-4 Inhibition

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02683187
Enrollment
40
Registered
2016-02-17
Start date
2017-03-01
Completion date
2018-03-16
Last updated
2021-05-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

insulin secretion, GLP-1, alpha cell, paracrine effect, Glucagon-Like Peptide 1

Brief summary

This study is being done to determine the role of a hormone, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), on insulin secretion and to study how GLP-1 works in in diabetic individuals as compared to non-diabetic individuals, under fasting conditions. GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone made in the intestines. It is released into the circulating blood after eating and helps to control the blood glucose levels by increasing insulin secretion by cells in the pancreas. However, the exact method by which GLP-1 causes insulin secretion and how GLP-1 activity is changed in diabetic persons remain unclear. This research is being done to address these questions and better understand the function of GLP-1. In this research, the investigators will use a synthetic form of Exendin-9 to determine the effects of GLP-1 on insulin secretion in diabetic and non-diabetic persons. Exendin-9 acts as a blocker of GLP-1 action, allowing us to study the specific effects of the GLP-1 hormone. Exendin-9 is an investigational compound, which means it is still being tested in research studies and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this study, the investigators will also use the drug Sitagliptin, which is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this study, use of Sitagliptin is considered investigational since it is not being used for treatment of diabetes but is instead being used to understand how GLP-1 works and to better understand how medications like Sitagliptin work in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Interventions

DRUGActive Comparator: Sitagliptin

Subjects will receive sitagliptin prior to the start of the experiment involving 1/2 of the subjects receiving Exendin-9 (a GLP-1 receptor blocker) first over 60 minutes ; followed by a bolus arginine (5g) infusion after 30 minutes into the Ex-9 infusion, with blood draws over the next 30 minutes. Followed by a 60 minute washout and the procedure is repeated , this time with saline instead of Ex-9 (these procedures are reversed - saline first then Ex-9 - half of the time).

DRUGPlacebo Comparator - No Sitagliptin

Subjects will receive Placebo (instead of sitagliptin) prior to the start of the experiment involving 1/2 of the subjects receiving Exendin-9 (a GLP-1 receptor blocker) first over 60 minutes ; followed by a bolus arginine (5g) infusion after 30 minutes into the Ex-9 infusion, with blood draws over the next 30 minutes. Followed by a 60 minute washout and the procedure is repeated , this time with saline instead of Ex-9 (these procedures are reversed - saline first then Ex-9 - half of the time).

Sponsors

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
David D'Alessio, M.D.
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
35 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Diabetic cohort: adults age 35-70 years with Type 2 diabetes managed by an oral medication or diet and exercise * Non-diabetic cohort: healthy adults age 35-70 years * Male or female * Ability to speak and understand English * Diabetic cohort: HbA1c ≤ 8.0% * Non-diabetic cohort: HbA1c ≤ 6.2%

Exclusion criteria

* Rheumatoid arthritis * Inflammatory bowel disease * Unstable angina or uncompensated heart failure * Pulmonary disorders, including COPD and asthma * Malabsorptive GI disease, such as celiac disease, or gastric bypass * Significant hepatic disease * Renal insufficiency (eGFR \< 60 mL/kg/min) * Anemia (hematocrit \< 34%) as measured at screening visit * Uncontrolled hypertension * Pregnant females * Consumption of daily medications that alter glucose metabolism of GI function (glucocorticoids, psychotropics, narcotics, metoclopramide) * Consumption or injection of insulin * Apparent sensitivity to any of the study peptides as determined by the skin test

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 Blockade30 minutesThe investigators will use the mean increment of insulin secretion rate above baseline in the 30 minutes after Arginine stimulation to integrate insulin secretion, the primary outcome measure, and 2-way ANOVA with and without Sitagliptin and Ex-9/saline at the two factors.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Subjects were recruited by advertisement from March 2017 to March 2018.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Sitagliptin and Non-Sitagliptin Recipients
The infusion procedures performed during study visits 2 and 3 are identical except that the oral medicine Sitagliptin will only be administered at one of the two visits, with order of Sitagliptin administration determined at random by study staff. Active Comparator: Sitagliptin: Subjects will receive sitagliptin prior to the start of the experiment involving 1/2 of the subjects receiving Exendin-9 (a GLP-1 receptor blocker) first over 60 minutes ; followed by a bolus arginine (5g) infusion after 30 minutes into the Ex-9 infusion, with blood draws over the next 30 minutes. Followed by a 60 minute washout and the procedure is repeated , this time with saline instead of Ex-9 (these procedures are reversed - saline first then Ex-9 - half of the time). Placebo Comparator - No Sitagliptin: Subjects will receive Placebo (instead of sitagliptin) prior to the start of the experiment involving 1/2 of the subjects receiving Exendin-9 (a GLP-1 receptor blocker) first over 60 minutes ; followed by a bolus arginine (5g) infusion after 30 minutes into the Ex-9 infusion, with blood draws over the next 30 minutes. Followed by a 60 minute washout and the procedure is repeated , this time with saline instead of Ex-9 (these procedures are reversed - saline first then Ex-9 - half of the time).
35
Total35

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyFailed IV access3
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject5

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicSitagliptin and Non-Sitagliptin Recipients
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
35 Participants
Age, Continuous51 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10
Diabetes Type
No Diabetes (NDM)
20 Participants
Diabetes Type
Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM)
15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
12 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
22 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
35 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
19 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
16 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 350 / 34
other
Total, other adverse events
3 / 352 / 34
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 350 / 34

Outcome results

Primary

Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 Blockade

The investigators will use the mean increment of insulin secretion rate above baseline in the 30 minutes after Arginine stimulation to integrate insulin secretion, the primary outcome measure, and 2-way ANOVA with and without Sitagliptin and Ex-9/saline at the two factors.

Time frame: 30 minutes

Population: Participants who completed infusion protocols.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Non-diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWith GLP-1 Blockade320.1 pmol/LStandard Error 0.37
Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Non-diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWithout GLP-1 Blockade318.7 pmol/LStandard Error 0.37
Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWithout GLP-1 Blockade319.4 pmol/LStandard Error 0.38
Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWith GLP-1 Blockade243.4 pmol/LStandard Error 0.38
Non-Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Non-diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWith GLP-1 Blockade280 pmol/LStandard Error 0.37
Non-Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Non-diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWithout GLP-1 Blockade371.4 pmol/LStandard Error 0.37
Non-Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWith GLP-1 Blockade251.2 pmol/LStandard Error 0.38
Non-Sitagliptin and Ex-9/Saline (Diabetics)Arginine-stimulated Insulin Secretion With and Without GLP-1 BlockadeWithout GLP-1 Blockade249.2 pmol/LStandard Error 0.38
p-value: <0.05Mixed Models Analysis

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026