Sex-dependent additive effects of dorzagliatin and incretin on insulin secretion in a novel mouse model of GCK -MODY.

Glucokinase (GK) catalyses the key regulatory step in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Correspondingly, hetero- and homozygous mutations in human GCK cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young (GCK-MODY) and permanent neonatal diabetes (PNDM), respectively. To explore the possible utility of glucokinase activators (GKA) and of glucagon-like receptor-1 (GLP-1) agonists in these diseases, we have developed a novel hypomorphic Gck allele in mice encoding an aberrantly spliced mRNA deleted for exons 2 and 3. In islets from homozygous knock-in (Gck ^KI/KI ) mice, GK immunoreactivity was reduced by >85%, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion eliminated. Homozygous Gck ^KI/KI mice were smaller than wildtype littermates and displayed frank diabetes (fasting blood glucose >18 mmol/L; HbA1c ~12%), ketosis and nephropathy. Heterozygous Gck ^KI/+ mice were glucose intolerant (HbA1c ~5.5%). Abnormal glucose-stimulated Ca ²⁺ dynamics and beta cell-beta cell connectivity in Gck ^KI/+ islets were completely reversed by the recently-developed GKA, dorzagliatin, which was largely inactive in homozygous Gck ^KI/KI mouse islets. The GLP-1 receptor agonist exendin-4 improved glucose tolerance in male Gck ^KI/+ mice, an action potentiated by dorzagliatin, in male but not female mice. Sex-dependent additive effects of these agents were also observed on insulin secretion in vitro . Combined treatment with GKA and incretin may thus be useful in GCK -MODY or GCK -PNDM.
Competing Interests: Duality of Interest. G.A.R. has received grant funding from, and is a consultant for, Sun Pharmaceuticals Inc. No other potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.