Esculentin-2CHa(1–30) and its analogues: stability and mechanisms of insulinotropic action

What is it about?

Our present study reports for the first time, the stability, insulinotropic actions and mechanisms of action of esculentin-2CHa(1-30) and its analogues. Esculentin-2CHa, isolated from skin secretions of the Chiricahua leopard frog, Lithobates chiricahuensis (Ranidae), exerts anti-microbial, anti-neoplastic and insulinotropic properties. We herein designed a series of novel analogues of the truncated form of esculentin-2CHa which lack the cyclic C-terminal domain. These peptides exhibited enhanced resistance to endopeptidase degradation, strong insulin-releasing activity and glucose lowering capacity equivalent to that elicited by GLP-1. Our data reveal a novel mechanism of action on the beta cell and suggest that analogues of esculentin-2CHa(1-30) may be useful for improving glycaemic control in obesity diabetes.

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