Impaired Glucose Tolerance Secondary to Partial Intestinal Ischemia is Reversed by Sitagliptin

While diabetes is a predisposing factor for intestinal ischemia, mesenteric ischemia is associated with
impaired glucose tolerance. We evaluated the effect of partial intestinal ischemia on glucose tolerance, GLP1 and insulin level in forty non-diabetic SD rats. Rats were randomly assigned into 4 groups; SHAM; SHAM
+ sitagliptin (30 mg/kg/day); intestinal ischemia; and intestinal ischemia + sitagliptin (30 mg/kg/day). The
superior mesenteric artery was partially occluded. At the 11th day, glucose tolerance, plasma GLP-1 and
insulin levels were measured along with histological changes in the pancreas and insulin-secreting beta
cells. Intestinal ischemia resulted in significant impairment of glucose tolerance with reduction of plasma
levels of GLP-1 and insulin. Treatment with sitagliptin partially ameliorated these changes. Beta cells in the
pancreas were not affected by ischemia. These results suggest that impaired glucose tolerance with intestinal
ischemia might be secondary to functional impairment of beta cells secondary to decreased basal GLP-1
secretion.