Biochem/physiol Actions GW9508 is a selective FFA1/GPR40 agonist. GPR40 was formerly an orphan G protein-coupled receptor whose endogenous ligands have now been identified as free fatty acids (FFAs). The receptor, named FFA receptor 1, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and is a drug target because of its role in FFA-mediated enhancement of glucose-stimulated insulin release. GW9508 showed greater than 500-fold selectivity for GPR40 over GPR41 and GPR43 and possessed a good in vitro and in vivo profile with excellent bioavailability. GW9508 stimulated intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in human embryonic kidney HEK-293 cells expressing GPR40 or GPR120, but not in the parent HEK-293 cell line. GW9508 dose dependently potentiated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in MIN6 cells, but not in primary rat or mouse islets. GW9508 potentiates the KCl-mediated increase in insulin secretion in MIN6 cells. |