PITUITARY ADENYLATE CYCLASE ACTIVATING PEPTIDE (PACAP) RECEPTOR 3 (R3) AGONISTS AND THEIR PHARMACOLOGICAL METHODS OF USE

摘要

The invention provides novel peptides that function in vivo to stimulate insulin release from pancreatic beta cells in a glucose-dependent fashion. These insulin secretagogue peptides are shown to stimulate insulin release i n rat islet cells in vitro, and in vivo. The peptides of the present invention provide a new therapy for patients with decreased endogenous insulin secretion, in particular type 2 diabetics. In particular, the invention is a polypeptide selected from a specific group of VIP/PACAP-related polypeptides , or functional equivalents thereof. The invention is also directed to a metho d of treating a metabolic disease in a mammal comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the insulin secretagogue peptides to sai d mammal. Also disclosed are methods of making the peptides, both recombinant and synthetic.