Diabetes & Metabolism Journal

Review

Basic and Translational Research
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 and Hypothalamic Regulation of Satiation: Cognitive and Neural Insights from Human and Animal Studies: Joon Seok Park, Kyu Sik Kim, Hyung Jin Choi; Diabetes Metab J. 2025;49(3):333-347. Published online May 1, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2025.0106

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Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have emerged as blockbuster drugs for treating metabolic diseases. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) plays a pivotal role in glucose homeostasis by enhancing insulin secretion, suppressing glucagon release, delaying gastric emptying, and acting on the central nervous system to regulate satiation and satiety. This review summarizes the discovery of GLP-1 and the development of GLP-1RAs, with a particular focus on their central mechanisms of action. Human neuroimaging studies demonstrate that GLP-1RAs influence brain activity during food cognition, supporting a role in pre-ingestive satiation. Animal studies on hypothalamic feed-forward regulation of hunger suggest that cognitive hypothalamic mechanisms may also contribute to satiation control. We highlight the brain mechanisms of GLP-1RA-induced satiation and satiety, including cognitive impacts, with an emphasis on animal studies of hypothalamic glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and GLP-1R-expressing neurons. Actions in non-hypothalamic regions are also discussed. Additionally, we review emerging combination drugs and oral GLP-1RA formulations aimed at improving efficacy and patient adherence. In conclusion, the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH)—a key GLP-1RA target—mediates pre-ingestive cognitive satiation, while other hypothalamic GLP-1R neurons regulate diverse aspects of feeding behavior, offering potential therapeutic targets for obesity treatment.

Citations

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Original Article

Basic Research
DWN12088, A Prolyl-tRNA Synthetase Inhibitor, Alleviates Hepatic Injury in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Dong-Keon Lee, Su Ho Jo, Eun Soo Lee, Kyung Bong Ha, Na Won Park, Deok-Hoon Kong, Sang-In Park, Joon Seok Park, Choon Hee Chung; Diabetes Metab J. 2024;48(1):97-111. Published online January 3, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2022.0367

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Background
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a liver disease caused by obesity that leads to hepatic lipoapoptosis, resulting in fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the mechanism underlying NASH is largely unknown, and there is currently no effective therapeutic agent against it. DWN12088, an agent used for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, is a selective prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) inhibitor that suppresses the synthesis of collagen. However, the mechanism underlying the hepatoprotective effect of DWN12088 is not clear. Therefore, we investigated the role of DWN12088 in NASH progression.
Methods
Mice were fed a chow diet or methionine-choline deficient (MCD)-diet, which was administered with DWN12088 or saline by oral gavage for 6 weeks. The effects of DWN12088 on NASH were evaluated by pathophysiological examinations, such as real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, biochemical analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of hepatic injury were assessed by in vitro cell culture.
Results
DWN12088 attenuated palmitic acid (PA)-induced lipid accumulation and lipoapoptosis by downregulating the Rho-kinase (ROCK)/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α)/activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)/C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) signaling cascades. PA increased but DWN12088 inhibited the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 (Ser536, Ser276) and the expression of proinflammatory genes. Moreover, the DWN12088 inhibited transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-induced pro-fibrotic gene expression by suppressing TGFβ receptor 1 (TGFβR1)/Smad2/3 and TGFβR1/glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) axis signaling. In the case of MCD-diet-induced NASH, DWN12088 reduced hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and lipoapoptosis and prevented the progression of fibrosis.
Conclusion
Our findings provide new insights about DWN12088, namely that it plays an important role in the overall improvement of NASH. Hence, DWN12088 shows great potential to be developed as a new integrated therapeutic agent for NASH.

Citations

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Prolyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitor as a novel first-in-class keloid treatment: downregulation of de novo collagen synthesis and inflammatory cascade
Sally Min, Ki-Myo Kim, Joseph Hwang, Jaewoo Kim, Jun Ho Park, Joon Seok Park, Caroline H Lee, Ji-Ung Park
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Cranberry improves metabolic syndrome-related organ dysfunction in rats by modulating AMPK/SREBP1, ROCK1 and TGF-β1
Sahar M. Elashmony, Yosra Alhindi, Dina H. Merzeban, Rehab A. Mohammed, Asmaa Mohamed Elsayed, Marwa A. Sofi, Rania H. Mahmoud, Hanan A. Shamardl, Dina Elsayed Shaker
Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Modulation of STAT6 signaling for hepatoprotection
Emmanuel Somm, Mahdi Rahman, Ildiko Szanto, Karim Gariani, François R. Jornayvaz
Frontiers in Pharmacology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Restoring metabolic flexibility: targeting organelle interaction networks in the pathogenesis and therapy of MASLD
Yiming Liu, Yue Wang, Jiaying Zhou, Hong Li, Caiyun Liu, Beilei Zhong, Juan Liu, Leiming Liu, Lingling Zhang, Leimin Sun
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
EPRS1-mediated fibroblast activation and mitochondrial dysfunction promote kidney fibrosis
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Experimental & Molecular Medicine.2024; 56(12): 2673. CrossRef

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