Exendin-4 attenuates high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis via inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress and activation of SERCA2a

Hyperglycemia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis contributes to diabetic cardiomyopathy. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (Glp1) receptor (Glp1r) agonists improve cardiac function and survival in response to ischemia-reperfusion and myocardial infarction. The present studies assessed whether Glp1r activation exerts direct cardioprotective effects in response to hyperglycemia. Treatment with the Glp1r agonist Exendin-4 attenuated apoptosis in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes cultured in high (33 mM) glucose. This protective effect was mimicked by the cAMP inducer forskolin. The Exendin-4 protective effect was blocked by the Glp1r antagonist Exendin(9-39) or the PKA antagonist H-89. Exendin-4 also protected cardiomyocytes from hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cell death. Cardiomyocyte protection by Exendin-4 was not due to reduced reactive oxygen species levels. Instead, Exendin-4 treatment reduced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, demonstrated by decreased expression of glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP78) and...