Volume 11 Issue 10, October 2015

Liraglutide is an agonist of glucagon-like receptor-1, which is a component of an important biological system that inhibits food intake and enhances insulin secretion from the pancreas in the presence of glucose. This drug can therefore facilitate weight loss and glucose control at the same time.

A recent study shows that preceding teriparatide treatment with 2 years of denosumab treatment leads to lower BMD after 4 years than either administering these interventions in the opposite order or combining them initially. However, BMD measurements could be biased in favour of using teriparatide first, owing to the time required for completion of secondary mineralization.

In a retrospective multicentre study of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, islet transplantation was associated with sustained HbA_1c levels of <7% and freedom from severe hypoglycaemia for 5 years in 60% of immunosuppressed recipients, including those with recurrent severe pretransplant hypoglycaemia. Will islet transplant utilization in patient care now expand?

Antisense oligonucleotides have proven effective at preventing protein synthesis as a result of their on-target specificity. Recent data from several clinical trials including a phase I trial targeting Lp(a), published in The Lancet, highlight the therapeutic potential of antisense oligonucleotides in regulating plasma lipid levels.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are produced by the gut microbiota from indigestible food stuffs, and might have beneficial effects on metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Here, Canfora and colleagues discuss how SCFA can modulate energy homeostasis and metabolism in adipose tissue, muscle and the liver. The authors also discuss whether SCFA might be used to modulate glucose homeostasis in humans.

Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) improve the solubility of fatty acids. Here, Hotamisligil and Bernlohr describe the structure and function of FABPs in the control of fatty acid metabolism and obesity. The authors focus on FABP4 and FABP5, the most abundant FABPs in adipose tissue, and discuss how targeting these proteins might be exploited to treat metabolic diseases.

For individuals with diabetes mellitus, the lifetime risk of developing a foot ulcer can be as high as 25%, but these complications are preventable. Here, Bowling and colleagues discuss the mechanisms that lead to foot ulcers in patients with diabetes mellitus. The authors emphasise the need for a multidisciplinary management strategy to prevent and treat diabetic foot complications.

Long-chain acylcarnitines (LCACs) are widely used as diagnostic markers in several metabolic disorders; however, research into the potential effects of excessive accumulation of LCACs or the roles of acylcarnitines as physiological modulators of cell metabolism is lacking. This Review, therefore, aims to provide a theoretical framework for the potential consequences of tissue build-up of LCACs among individuals with metabolic disorders.