BEIJING: Researchers at Peking University in China have identified a new potential drug target for enhancing the efficacy of diabetic treatment.
According to the researchers, the microbial dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) produced by Bacteroides spp. in the gut microbiota is considered a crucial therapeutic target for treating type 2 diabetes.
According to a study published on August 4 in Science, DPP4 can damage the host’s glucagon and compromise glucose homeostasis.
The researchers also discovered that the therapeutic effectiveness of sitagliptin, a routinely prescribed drug for treating diabetes, will be significantly reduced by the enrichment of the peptidase in the host’s body because sitagliptin cannot effectively suppress the activity of DPP4.
The DPP4 enzyme is actively being sought after as a means of inhibiting the activity of existing drugs as well as the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
According to the study, the finding is anticipated to significantly affect our understanding of the pathophysiology of diabetes and the efficacy of associated medication treatments. —APP
