Neuroprotection in Rats Following Ischaemia-Reperfusion Injury by GLP-1 Analogues—Liraglutide and Semaglutide

PURPOSE: A substantial number of ischaemic stroke patients who receive reperfusion therapy in the acute phase do not ever fully recover. This reveals the urgent need to develop new adjunctive neuroprotective treatment strategies alongside reperfusion therapy. Previous experimental studies demonstrated the potential of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) to reduce acute ischaemic damage in the brain. Here, we examined the neuroprotective effects of two GLP-1 analogues, liraglutide and semaglutide. METHODS: A non-diabetic rat model of acute ischaemic stroke involved 90, 120 or 180 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Liraglutide or semaglutide was administered either i.v. at the onset of reperfusion or s.c. 5 min before the onset of reperfusion. Infarct size and functional status were evaluated after 24 h or 72 h of reperfusion. RESULTS: Liraglutide, administered as a bolus at the onset of reperfusion, reduced infarct size by up to 90% and improved neuroscore at 24 h in a dose-dependent manner, following 90-min, but not 120-min or 180-min ischaemia. Semaglutide and liraglutide administered s.c. reduced infarct size by 63% and 48%, respectively, and improved neuroscore at 72 h following 90-min MCAO. Neuroprotection by semaglutide was abolished by GLP1-R antagonist exendin(9-39). CONCLUSION: Infarct-limiting and functional neuroprotective effects of liraglutide are dose-dependent. Neuroprotection by semaglutide is at least as strong as by liraglutide and is mediated by GLP-1Rs. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s10557-019-06915-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.