Long-acting exendin-4-coated selenium nanoparticles with improved hypoglycemic activity

Abstract

PurposeA long-acting exendin-4 (EX-ABD-AFF)-coated selenium nanoparticle (EX-ABD-AFF-SeNP) was synthesized, and its hypoglycemic activity was evaluated in vivo.MethodsEX-ABD-AFF-SeNP was prepared by adopting a one-step aqueous reduction process. Its physical characteristics, stability, cytotoxicity, pharmacokinetics (PK), biodistribution, and preliminary efficacy were evaluated.ResultsThe successful synthesis of EX-ABD-AFF-SeNP was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The prepared EX-ABD-AFF-SeNP showed low cytotoxicity in different cell lines. Notably, the EX-ABD-AFF-SeNP showed long-lasting features in blood circulation with subcutaneous (s.c.) administration. The group treated with the EX-ABD-AFF-SeNP exhibited significant and superior hypoglycemic activity compared to the other groups. This hypoglycemic activity was demonstrated through measurements in high-fat diet mice, indicating its potential as an effective diabetes treatment.ConclusionThe study's findings demonstrated that EX-ABD-AFF-SeNP might be an efficient therapeutic agent for diabetes treatment, potentially inspiring new avenues for diabetes research and treatment.