Glucagon-like peptide-2: A potential role in equine insulin dysregulation.
Authors: de Laat M A, Fitzgerald D M, Sillence M N, Spence R J
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Glucagon-like Peptide-2: A Potential Role in Equine Insulin Dysregulation Insulin dysregulation affects many horses and remains poorly characterised despite its significant association with laminitis risk, prompting investigation into the underlying mechanisms controlling glucose homeostasis. De Laat and colleagues examined whether glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), an intestinotrophic hormone that enhances nutrient absorption, might contribute to the condition by altering the enteroinsular axis—the regulatory pathway between the gut and pancreatic insulin secretion. Their findings suggest that upregulation of GLP-2 could increase glucose bioavailability and drive the metabolic dysfunction characteristic of equine insulin dysregulation, mirroring mechanisms observed in other species. This mechanism offers a plausible explanation for why some horses develop exaggerated insulin responses despite normal or near-normal blood glucose levels. Understanding GLP-2's role opens therapeutic possibilities for modulating gut peptide signalling to manage insulin dysregulation, and warrants further investigation into whether dietary interventions or pharmacological approaches targeting this pathway might reduce laminitis risk in susceptible individuals.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Insulin dysregulation in horses may involve intestinal factors beyond simple dietary management; understanding GLP-2's role could inform new prevention strategies for laminitis
- •Current feeding and management approaches for ID horses may need to account for altered intestinal nutrient absorption pathways, not just caloric restriction
- •Horses with ID and laminitis risk may benefit from veterinary assessment of digestive and metabolic function beyond standard insulin/glucose testing
Key Findings
- •Equine insulin dysregulation is associated with alterations of the enteroinsular axis and enhanced glucose bioavailability
- •Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) upregulation may contribute to nutrient uptake and metabolic dysfunction in horses with ID
- •GLP-2, an intestinotrophic peptide, represents a potential mechanistic target in understanding equine insulin dysregulation