GLP-1-based medications: Mechanisms involved in obesity treatment

Abstract

Thanks to biochemical engineering, the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) molecule has emerged as an essential element in the development of diverse agonists and multiagonists, based in the GLP-1 structure for obesity treatment. These new antiobesity medications can reach up to 24% weight loss, which makes possible an effective management of obesity and its complications. GLP-1 agonists affect diverse obesity etiopathogenic processes such as abnormal food intake regulation, adipocyte dysfunction, insulin resistance, adipokine production, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, lipid metabolism, and oxidative stress. All these factors are significantly involved in the pathophysiology of multiple obesity-related complications, including diabetes mellitus, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, heart failure, and atherosclerosis, among others. Potentiation and complementation of GLP-1 effects by co-stimulation of GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide), glucagon, or amylin and other receptors contribute to additional benefits, opening new horizons in the therapeutic individualization for persons living with obesity.