Induction of insulin receptor substrate-2 expression by Fc fusion to exendin-4 overexpressed in E. coli: a potential long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 mimetic.

Exendin-4 (Ex-4), a peptide secreted from the salivary glands of the Gila monster lizard, can increase pancreatic beta-cell growth and insulin secretion by activating glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor. In this study, we expressed a fusion protein consisting of exendin-4 and the human immunoglobulin heavy chain (Ex-4/IgG-Fc) in E. coli and explored its potential therapeutic use for the treatment of insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes. Here, we show that the Ex-4/IgG-Fc fusion protein induces expression of insulin receptor substrate-2 in rat insulinoma INS-1 cells. Our findings therefore suggest that Ex-4/IgG-Fc overexpressed in E. coli could be used as a potential, long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 mimetic.