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Normalisation of glucose metabolism by exendin-4 in the chronic phase after stroke promotes functional recovery in male diabetic mice

Augestad, Ingrid Lovise ; Dekens, Doortje ; Karampatsi, Dimitra ; Elabi, Osama LU ; Zabala, Alexander ; Pintana, Hiranya ; Larsson, Martin ; Nyström, Thomas ; Paul, Gesine LU and Darsalia, Vladimer LU , et al. (2022) In British Journal of Pharmacology 179(4). p.677-694
Abstract

Background and Purpose: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor activation decreases stroke risk in people with Type 2 diabetes (T2D), while animal studies have shown the efficacy of this strategy to counteract stroke-induced acute brain damage. However, whether GLP-1 receptor activation also improves recovery in the chronic phase after stroke is unknown. We investigated whether post-acute, chronic administration of the GLP-1 receptor agonist, exendin-4, improves post-stroke recovery and examined possible underlying mechanisms in T2D and non-T2D mice. Experimental Approach: We induced stroke via transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) in T2D/obese mice (8 months of high-fat diet) and age-matched controls. Exendin-4 was... (More)

Background and Purpose: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor activation decreases stroke risk in people with Type 2 diabetes (T2D), while animal studies have shown the efficacy of this strategy to counteract stroke-induced acute brain damage. However, whether GLP-1 receptor activation also improves recovery in the chronic phase after stroke is unknown. We investigated whether post-acute, chronic administration of the GLP-1 receptor agonist, exendin-4, improves post-stroke recovery and examined possible underlying mechanisms in T2D and non-T2D mice. Experimental Approach: We induced stroke via transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) in T2D/obese mice (8 months of high-fat diet) and age-matched controls. Exendin-4 was administered for 8 weeks from Day 3 post-tMCAO. We assessed functional recovery by weekly upper-limb grip strength tests. Insulin sensitivity and glycaemia were evaluated at 4 and 8 weeks post-tMCAO. Neuronal survival, stroke-induced neurogenesis, neuroinflammation, atrophy of GABAergic parvalbumin+ interneurons, post-stroke vascular remodelling and fibrotic scar formation were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Key Results: Exendin-4 normalised T2D-induced impairment of forepaw grip strength recovery in correlation with normalised glycaemia and insulin sensitivity. Moreover, exendin-4 counteracted T2D-induced atrophy of parvalbumin+ interneurons and decreased microglia activation. Finally, exendin-4 normalised density and pericyte coverage of micro-vessels and restored fibrotic scar formation in T2D mice. In non-T2D mice, the exendin-4-mediated recovery was minor. Conclusion and Implications: Chronic GLP-1 receptor activation mediates post-stroke functional recovery in T2D mice by normalising glucose metabolism and improving neuroplasticity and vascular remodelling in the recovery phase. The results warrant clinical trial of GLP-1 receptor agonists for rehabilitation after stroke in T2D.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
fibrotic scar, GLP-1R agonist, neurological recovery, stroke, T2D, vascular remodelling
in
British Journal of Pharmacology
volume
179
issue
4
pages
677 - 694
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • scopus:85108079809
  • pmid:33973246
ISSN
0007-1188
DOI
10.1111/bph.15524
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9d235548-e089-40bd-9e98-fc680583e04c
date added to LUP
2021-07-13 14:39:52
date last changed
2024-06-15 13:26:13
@article{9d235548-e089-40bd-9e98-fc680583e04c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background and Purpose: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor activation decreases stroke risk in people with Type 2 diabetes (T2D), while animal studies have shown the efficacy of this strategy to counteract stroke-induced acute brain damage. However, whether GLP-1 receptor activation also improves recovery in the chronic phase after stroke is unknown. We investigated whether post-acute, chronic administration of the GLP-1 receptor agonist, exendin-4, improves post-stroke recovery and examined possible underlying mechanisms in T2D and non-T2D mice. Experimental Approach: We induced stroke via transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) in T2D/obese mice (8 months of high-fat diet) and age-matched controls. Exendin-4 was administered for 8 weeks from Day 3 post-tMCAO. We assessed functional recovery by weekly upper-limb grip strength tests. Insulin sensitivity and glycaemia were evaluated at 4 and 8 weeks post-tMCAO. Neuronal survival, stroke-induced neurogenesis, neuroinflammation, atrophy of GABAergic parvalbumin+ interneurons, post-stroke vascular remodelling and fibrotic scar formation were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Key Results: Exendin-4 normalised T2D-induced impairment of forepaw grip strength recovery in correlation with normalised glycaemia and insulin sensitivity. Moreover, exendin-4 counteracted T2D-induced atrophy of parvalbumin+ interneurons and decreased microglia activation. Finally, exendin-4 normalised density and pericyte coverage of micro-vessels and restored fibrotic scar formation in T2D mice. In non-T2D mice, the exendin-4-mediated recovery was minor. Conclusion and Implications: Chronic GLP-1 receptor activation mediates post-stroke functional recovery in T2D mice by normalising glucose metabolism and improving neuroplasticity and vascular remodelling in the recovery phase. The results warrant clinical trial of GLP-1 receptor agonists for rehabilitation after stroke in T2D.</p>}},
  author       = {{Augestad, Ingrid Lovise and Dekens, Doortje and Karampatsi, Dimitra and Elabi, Osama and Zabala, Alexander and Pintana, Hiranya and Larsson, Martin and Nyström, Thomas and Paul, Gesine and Darsalia, Vladimer and Patrone, Cesare}},
  issn         = {{0007-1188}},
  keywords     = {{fibrotic scar; GLP-1R agonist; neurological recovery; stroke; T2D; vascular remodelling}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{677--694}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{British Journal of Pharmacology}},
  title        = {{Normalisation of glucose metabolism by exendin-4 in the chronic phase after stroke promotes functional recovery in male diabetic mice}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.15524}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/bph.15524}},
  volume       = {{179}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}