Impact of tetrapeptide pancragen on endocrine function of the pancreas in old monkeys

• Published in: Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii Vol. 27; no. 4; p. 662
• Main Authors: Goncharova, N D, Ivanova, L G, Oganian, T É, Vengerin, A A, Khavinson, V Kh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 2014
• Subjects: Aging - blood; Aging - metabolism; Animals; Blood Glucose - analysis; C-Peptide - blood; Female; Glucose - metabolism; Glucose Tolerance Test; Injections, Intramuscular; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; Islets of Langerhans - drug effects; Islets of Langerhans - metabolism; Kinetics; Macaca mulatta; Oligopeptides - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1561-9125

Significant increase of the elderly in the demographic structure of a modern society is one of the main reasons for increase in the number of patients with diabetes type 2 and impaired glucose tolerance. The purpose of this research was to study impact of Pancragen (tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp) on endocrine function of the pancreas of non-human primates, female rhesus monkeys, and to elucidate the possibil- ity of its use for correction age-related dysfunction of pancreatic islet apparatus. In old animals after the glucose administration (standard dose) in control period, a reduced glucose "disappearance" rate and a higher values of insulin and C-peptide peaks (5 and 15 min after the glucose injection) were observed in comparison with young animals in similar experiments. Pancragen administration (50 μg/animal per day during 10 days, intramuscularly) to old monkeys caused markedly increased the glucose "disappear- ance" rate, normalized the plasma insulin and C-peptide dynamics in response to glucose administration. The recovering effect of Pancragen on the function of the pancreas partially remained 3 weeks after discontinuation of the drug. Thus, Pancragen is a promising factor for restoring the age-related endocrine dysfunction of primates.