Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) not only burdens affected patients with a second, attention-demanding disease but threatens nutritional status, pulmonary function, and survival. Developing strategies to preserve ?- cell function are crucial for interrupting CFRD development and its hazard to CF-relevant outcomes. The overall aims of this application are to better understand the emergence and progression of abnormal glucose tolerance in pancreatic insufficient CF (PI-CF) and to test a potential strategy for restoring ?-cell function. This application extends our recent studies demonstrating that 1) insulin secretion defects are present at glucose thresholds traditionally considered normal (one-hour oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT] glucose >155 but <200 mg/dL; referred to as early glucose intolerance [EGI]), 2) such subtle glucose abnormalities associate with increased CFRD risk and may portend greater declines in pulmonary function, and 3) infusion of the incretin hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), but not glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), augments glucose- dependent insulin secretion in PI-CF. Our cross-sectional studies in CF demonstrate marked reductions in meal- related early-phase insulin secretion and ?-cell secretory capacity in EGI. With worsening glucose tolerance, PI- CF subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT, two-hour OGTT glucose >140 but <200 mg/dL) and CFRD exhibit further compromised meal-related early-phase insulin secretion and ?-cell secretory capacity. The extent to which emergence and progression of glucose intolerance is a manifestation of worsening ?-cell secretory capacity is not known and will be investigated in longitudinal studies of youth and adults with PI-CF in whom mixed-meal tolerance tests (MMTT) will be performed to characterize early-phase insulin secretion and glucose- potentiated arginine (GPA) tests will be completed to quantify ?-cell secretory capacity.
In Aim 1, we will leverage the genotyping and clinical phenotyping of our pediatric and adult CF cohort (n=350) to test the impact of T2D genetic variants, diet, CFTR modulator therapy, and pulmonary exacerbations on the emergence and progression of glucose intolerance and the relationship of glucose intolerance with nutritional status, pulmonary function, and body composition longitudinally over 4-5 years.
In Aim 2 we will test whether our findings of ?-cell responsiveness to acute GLP-1 infusion has the potential to be translated into the use of chronic GLP-1 therapy as a mechanism to preserve ?-cell function. Specifically, we will pursue a proof-of-concept 6-week randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study of the GLP-1 agonist, dulaglutide; the primary outcome will be the impact of dulaglutide upon meal-related early-phase insulin secretion, one of the earliest defects detected clinically. If successful, this work will provide the foundation for a multi-center study aimed at identifying and treating early insulin secretion defects in PI-CF and interrupting progression to CFRD.

Public Health Relevance

Diabetes is a major co-morbidity in pancreatic insufficient cystic fibrosis and associated with worse outcomes. While reduced ?-cell mass contributes to the insulin deficiency that characterizes cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD), other modifiable determinants appear operative in the emergence and progression of abnormal glucose tolerance towards diabetes. Identifying 1) the contribution of insulin secretory defects and related modifiable and non-modifiable factors to the emergence and progression of abnormal glucose tolerance and 2) interventions to preserve ?-cell function are crucial for delaying and potentially altogether preventing CFRD development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01DK097830-06A1
Application #
9970653
Study Section
Clinical and Integrative Diabetes and Obesity Study Section (CIDO)
Program Officer
Eggerman, Thomas L
Project Start
2012-09-17
Project End
2025-06-30
Budget Start
2020-07-01
Budget End
2021-06-30
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Department
Type
DUNS #
073757627
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19146
Rickels, Michael R; Stock, Peter G; de Koning, Eelco J P et al. (2018) Defining outcomes for ?-cell replacement therapy in the treatment of diabetes: a consensus report on the Igls criteria from the IPITA/EPITA opinion leaders workshop. Transpl Int 31:343-352
Andersen, Dana K; Korc, Murray; Petersen, Gloria M et al. (2017) Diabetes, Pancreatogenic Diabetes, and Pancreatic Cancer. Diabetes 66:1103-1110
Sheikh, Saba; Gudipaty, Lalitha; De Leon, Diva D et al. (2017) Reduced ?-Cell Secretory Capacity in Pancreatic-Insufficient, but Not Pancreatic-Sufficient, Cystic Fibrosis Despite Normal Glucose Tolerance. Diabetes 66:134-144