Discovery of a bacterial peptide as a modulator of GLP-1 and metabolic disease

Sci Rep. 2020 Mar 18;10(1):4922. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61112-0.

Abstract

Early work in rodents highlighted the gut microbiota's importance in metabolic disease, including Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin secreted by L-cells lining the gastrointestinal epithelium, has important functions: promoting insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, and β-cell mass, while inhibiting gastric emptying and appetite. We set out to identify microbial strains with GLP-1 stimulatory activity as potential metabolic disease therapeutics. Over 1500 human-derived strains were isolated from healthy individuals and screened for GLP-1 modulation by incubating bacterial cell-free supernatants with NCI H716 L-cells. Approximately 45 strains capable of increasing GLP-1 were discovered. All GLP-1 positive strains were identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis by 16S rRNA sequencing. Mass spectrometry analysis identified a 3 kDa peptide, Hld (delta-toxin), present in GLP-1 positive supernatants but absent in GLP-1 neutral supernatants. Studies in NCI-H716 cells and human jejunal enteroids engineered to make more enteroendocrine cells demonstrated that Hld alone is sufficient to enhance GLP-1 secretion. When administered in high-fat-fed mice, Hld-producing S. epidermidis significantly reduced markers associated with obesity and T2DM. Further characterization of Hld suggests GLP-1 stimulatory action of Hld occurs via calcium signaling. The presented results identify a novel host-microbe interaction which may ultimately lead to the development of a microbial peptide-based therapeutic for metabolic disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins* / chemistry
  • Biomarkers
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Signaling
  • Cell Line
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / genetics
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Space
  • Metabolic Diseases / etiology
  • Metabolic Diseases / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Biomarkers
  • Peptides
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
  • Calcium