Gut Fats Can Slow Down a Sugar‑Controlling Enzyme

DPP-IV is a enzyme in the blood that cuts up GLP-1, a hormone that helps lower blood sugar. When GLP-1 is destroyed fast, the body can’t control glucose well. This enzyme works quickly, so the hormone’s effect is short-lived.\n\nGut bacteria make short-chain fatty acids like acetate, propionate and butyrate. Scientists tested these acids on the recombinant human DPP‑IV enzyme and found they block its activity. The block happens in a dose‑dependent way, with an average IC50 of about 0.62 millimolar. The inhibition is reversible and mixed‑mode, unlike the drug sitagliptin which works co

mpetitively with a Ki of 2.6 nanomolar.\n\nWhen SCFAs are present, GLP‑1 lasts longer before being broken down. In insulin‑producing INS‑1 cells, the hormone’s calcium signal stays strong. Computer docking shows the acids sit in the propeller part of DPP‑IV, suggesting how they interfere with the enzyme’s action.\n\nThese results tie microbial metabolites directly to the regulation of incretin hormones. They show a natural way the gut can influence blood sugar control. The findings suggest that diet‑derived fibers could boost SCFA levels and help the body’s own sugar‑balancing system.

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