The biology of glucagon and the consequences of hyperglucagonemia

Nicolai J Wewer Albrechtsen; Rune E Kuhre; Jens Pedersen; Filip K Knop; Jens J Holst

doi:10.2217/bmm-2016-0090

The biology of glucagon and the consequences of hyperglucagonemia

Nicolai J Wewer Albrechtsen, Rune E Kuhre, Jens Pedersen, Filip K Knop, Jens J Holst

40 Citations (Scopus)

175 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The proglucagon-derived peptide hormone, glucagon, comprises 29 amino acids. Its secretion from the pancreatic α cells is regulated by several factors. Glucagon increases blood glucose levels through gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Elevated plasma concentrations of glucagon, hyperglucagonemia, may contribute to diabetes. However, hyperglucagonemia is also observed in other clinical conditions than diabetes, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, glucagon-producing tumors and after gastric bypass surgery. Here, we review the current literature on hyperglucagonemia in disease with a particular focus on diabetes, and finally speculate that the primary physiological importance of glucagon may not reside in glucose homeostasis but in regulation of amino acid metabolism exerted via a hitherto unrecognized hepato-pancreatic feedback loop.

Original language	English
Journal	Biomarkers in Medicine
Volume	10
Issue number	11
Pages (from-to)	1141-1151
Number of pages	11
ISSN	1752-0363
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2217/bmm-2016-0090
Publication status	Published - Nov 2016

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abstract = "The proglucagon-derived peptide hormone, glucagon, comprises 29 amino acids. Its secretion from the pancreatic α cells is regulated by several factors. Glucagon increases blood glucose levels through gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Elevated plasma concentrations of glucagon, hyperglucagonemia, may contribute to diabetes. However, hyperglucagonemia is also observed in other clinical conditions than diabetes, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, glucagon-producing tumors and after gastric bypass surgery. Here, we review the current literature on hyperglucagonemia in disease with a particular focus on diabetes, and finally speculate that the primary physiological importance of glucagon may not reside in glucose homeostasis but in regulation of amino acid metabolism exerted via a hitherto unrecognized hepato-pancreatic feedback loop.",

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AU - Wewer Albrechtsen, Nicolai J

AU - Kuhre, Rune E

AU - Pedersen, Jens

AU - Knop, Filip K

AU - Holst, Jens J

PY - 2016/11

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N2 - The proglucagon-derived peptide hormone, glucagon, comprises 29 amino acids. Its secretion from the pancreatic α cells is regulated by several factors. Glucagon increases blood glucose levels through gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Elevated plasma concentrations of glucagon, hyperglucagonemia, may contribute to diabetes. However, hyperglucagonemia is also observed in other clinical conditions than diabetes, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, glucagon-producing tumors and after gastric bypass surgery. Here, we review the current literature on hyperglucagonemia in disease with a particular focus on diabetes, and finally speculate that the primary physiological importance of glucagon may not reside in glucose homeostasis but in regulation of amino acid metabolism exerted via a hitherto unrecognized hepato-pancreatic feedback loop.

AB - The proglucagon-derived peptide hormone, glucagon, comprises 29 amino acids. Its secretion from the pancreatic α cells is regulated by several factors. Glucagon increases blood glucose levels through gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Elevated plasma concentrations of glucagon, hyperglucagonemia, may contribute to diabetes. However, hyperglucagonemia is also observed in other clinical conditions than diabetes, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, glucagon-producing tumors and after gastric bypass surgery. Here, we review the current literature on hyperglucagonemia in disease with a particular focus on diabetes, and finally speculate that the primary physiological importance of glucagon may not reside in glucose homeostasis but in regulation of amino acid metabolism exerted via a hitherto unrecognized hepato-pancreatic feedback loop.

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JO - Biomarkers in Medicine

JF - Biomarkers in Medicine

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The biology of glucagon and the consequences of hyperglucagonemia

Abstract

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