Diabetes drug reduces autoimmune risk. Why and how??

[Zizzle]

Can anyone guess why a drug for Type 2 diabetes would reduce autoimmunity? I'm intrigued, but I'm not a pharmacist! Is it the simple action of increasing insulin and therefore reducing circulating sugars, which cause inflammation??

http://www.rheumatologyupdate.com.au/la ... mmune-risk


Here's the CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY:
12.1 Mechanism of Action
Linagliptin is an inhibitor of DPP-4, an enzyme that degrades the incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide
(GIP). Thus, linagliptin increases the concentrations of active incretin hormones, stimulating the release of insulin in a glucose-dependent manner and decreasing the
levels of glucagon in the circulation. Both incretin hormones are involved in the physiological regulation of glucose homeostasis. Incretin hormones are secreted at a
low basal level throughout the day and levels rise immediately after meal intake. GLP-1 and GIP increase insulin biosynthesis and secretion from pancreatic beta-cells
in the presence of normal and elevated blood glucose levels. Furthermore, GLP-1 also reduces glucagon secretion from pancreatic alpha-cells, resulting in a reduction
in hepatic glucose output.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics
Linagliptin binds to DPP-4 in a reversible manner and thus increases the concentrations of incretin hormones. Linagliptin glucose dependently increases insulin
secretion and lowers glucagon secretion, thus resulting in better regulation of glucose homeostasis. Linagliptin binds selectively to DPP-4, and selectively inhibits DPP-
4 but not DPP-8 or DPP-9 activity in vitro at concentrations approximating therapeutic exposures.

http://bidocs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/ ... djenta.pdf

[Zizzle]

I note that DPP-4 is the active ingredient in Glutenease and other supplements that supposedly help break down gluten and casein. What's the connection here?? One drug inhibits this enzyme, the other supplements it!

http://www.klaire.com/images/dppiv_update_article.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipeptidyl_peptidase-4