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ARTICLE | Preclinical News

Researchers suggest inhibiting DPP-4 could help treat colitis

July 21, 2017 11:16 PM UTC

In a paper published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, researchers from the Medical University of Lodz and the University of Gdansk showed that inhibiting dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4; CD26) could help treat colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The researchers developed a peptide inhibitor of DPP-4 that showed nanomolar affinity for DPP-4 in vitro. In two mouse models of experimental colitis, intracolonic administration of the DPP-4 inhibitor reduced colitis symptoms - including macroscopic colon damage, ulcers and bowel thickness - compared with vehicle...