GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide have gained significant attention in the pharmaceutical industry for their potential to induce weight loss and improve dysregulation in type 2 diabetes. As with any newly popular drug category, researchers are now exploring their potential benefits in treating various conditions, from cancer to heart failure. It is believed that any marginal benefits may be primarily attributed to weight loss in initially overweight patients, but recent data from mouse studies suggest that there may be other mechanisms at play, especially in the case of heart failure.
In a study exploring the effects of semaglutide on obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), researchers found that the drug improved the cardiometabolic profile, cardiac structure, and cardiac function in a mouse model of HFpEF. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses indicated that semaglutide also improved left ventricular cytoskeleton function, endothelial function, and restored protective immune responses in visceral adipose tissue, going beyond the effects of weight loss induced by pair feeding. These findings suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists may offer a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of HFpEF, particularly in cases related to obesity.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacbts.2023.05.012
