SODIUM GLUCOSE COTRANSPORTER 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new class of anti-diabetic drugs that improve glycemic control by inhibiting reabsorption of glucose filtered through the renal glomerulus. SGLT2 is expressed in the S1 segment of the proximal renal tubules, and inhibition of this molecule results in a remarkable increase in urinary glucose excretion [1][2][3][4] Abstract. Canagliflozin has a robust inhibitory effect on sodium glucose transporter (SGLT)-2 and a mild inhibitory effect on SGLT1. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of canagliflozin on circulating active glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients were randomly divided into a control group (n =15) and a canagliflozin-treated group (n =15). After hospitalization, the canagliflozin-treated group took 100 mg/day canagliflozin for the entire study, and after 3 days both groups took 20 mg/day teneligliptin for an additional 3 days. In a meal test, canagliflozin significantly decreased the area under curve (AUC) (0-120 min) for plasma glucose (PG) after 3 days when compared with that at baseline, and addition of teneligliptin to the canagliflozin-treated group further decreased it. A significant decrease in the AUC (0-120 min) for serum insulin by canagliflozin was obtained, but the addition of teneligliptin elevated the AUC, and thus abolished the significant difference from baseline. A significant increase in the AUC (0-120 min) of plasma active GLP-1 by canagliflozin-treatment compared with that at baseline was observed, and the addition of teneligliptin resulted in a further increase. However, canagliflozin-treatment did not change the AUC (0-120 min) of plasma active glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP). In conclusions, canagliflozin-administration before meals decreased PG and serum insulin, and increased plasma active GLP-1 levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Canagliflozin did not greatly influence plasma active GIP levels.
Key words: Canagliflozin, GLP-1, GIP, SGLT1is located in a more distal region from the glomerulus compared with the location of S1. SGLT1 is responsible for approximately 10% of the glucose absorption in the kidney [2]. Among the SGLT2 inhibitors, canagliflozin also possesses a mild SGLT1 inhibitory effect [5,6]. Because SGLT1 is also expressed in the small intestine [7,8], inhibition of SGLT1 appears to cause the inhibition of glucose absorption in this location as well. In fact, it is reported that administration of canagliflozin can transiently repress the increase of postprandial plasma glucose (PG) levels probably via SGLT1 inhibition in the small intestine by a maximum of 30 % in healthy subjects [9].Interestingly, recent animal studies showed that administration of canagliflozin not only caused an increase in the glucose concentration in the lower small intestinal lumen probably by SGLT1 inhibition, but also resulted in a tendency toward an increase in the levels of plasma glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 (a hormone that increases insulin secr...