Our new paper on genetically simulated GLP-1 receptor agonism and small vessel disease
Could GLP-1 receptor agonism, among all its other benefits, also be a promising strategy for lowering the burden of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD)?
In our new paper led by Panagiotis Zangas, we leverage human genetic data to evaluate GLP-1 receptor agonism as a potential strategy for lowering the burden of cSVD.
cSVD is a major unmet need in neurology with no available disease-modifying therapies. It is a devastating and common aging-related pathology that is associated with stroke, dementia, functional decline, and mortality.
Of course, GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown strong efficacy in reducing the burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Both diabetes and obesity are known risk factors for microvascular damage. We asked whether there is human genetic support for their repurposing for cSVD.
Using genetic variants in the GLP1R locus that mimick pharmacological GLP-1 receptor agonists, we found associations with lower risk of small vessel stroke and lower volume of white matter hyperintensities, the most widely used imaging biomarker of cSVD.
Given the lack of disease-modifying therapies for cSVD, these results could have implications for testing GLP-1 receptor agonists in patients with cSVD in clinical trials.
