Improvement of Insulin Sensitivity by a Novel Drug Candidate, BGP-15, in Different Animal Studies

Background: Insulin resistance has been recognized as the most significant predictor of further development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here we investigated the effect of a heat shock protein (HSP) co-inducer, BGP-15, on insulin sensitivity in different insulin-resistant animal models and compared its effect with insulin secretagogues and insulin sensitizers. Methods: Insulin sensitivity was assessed by the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic glucose clamp technique in normal and cholesterol-fed rabbits and in healthy Wistar and Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats in dose-ranging studies. We also examined the effect of BGP-15 on streptozotocin-induced changes in the vasorelaxation of the aorta in Sprague-Dawley rats. Results: BGP-15 doses of 10 and 30 mg/kg increased insulin sensitivity by 50% and 70%, respectively, in cholesterol-fed but not in normal rabbits. After 5 days of treatment with BGP-15, the glucose infusion rate was increased in a dose-dependent manner in genetically insulin-resistant GK rats. The most effective dose was 20 mg/kg, which showed a 71% increase in insulin sensitivity compared to control group. Administration of BGP-15 protected against streptozotocin-induced changes in vasorelaxation, which was similar to the effect of rosiglitazone. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the insulin-sensitizing effect of BGP-15 is comparable to conventional insulin sensitizers. This might be of clinical utility in the treatment of T2DM.