Clinical investigation of glucokinase activators for the restoration of glucose homeostasis in diabetes
Ping Li,
Dalong Zhu,
Corresponding Author
Ping Li
Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
Correspondence
Dalong Zhu and Ping Li, Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, CN 210012, China.
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Dalong Zhu
Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
Correspondence
Dalong Zhu and Ping Li, Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, CN 210012, China.
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorPing Li,
Dalong Zhu,
Corresponding Author
Ping Li
Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
Correspondence
Dalong Zhu and Ping Li, Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, CN 210012, China.
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Dalong Zhu
Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
Correspondence
Dalong Zhu and Ping Li, Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, CN 210012, China.
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 25 April 2024
Abstract
As a sensor, glucokinase (GK) controls glucose homeostasis, which progressively declines in patients with diabetes. GK maintains the equilibrium of glucose levels and regulates the homeostatic system set points. Endocrine and hepatic cells can both respond to glucose cooperatively when GK is activated. GK has been under study as a therapeutic target for decades due to the possibility that cellular GK expression and function can be recovered, hence restoring glucose homeostasis in patients with type 2 diabetes. Five therapeutic compounds targeting GK are being investigated globally at the moment. They all have distinctive molecular structures and have been clinically shown to have strong antihyperglycemia effects. The mechanics, classification, and clinical development of GK activators are illustrated in this review. With the recent approval and marketing of the first GK activator (GKA), dorzagliatin, GKA's critical role in treating glucose homeostasis disorder and its long-term benefits in diabetes will eventually become clear.
Video Abstract
Clinical investigation of glucokinase activators for the restoration of glucose homeostasis in diabetes
by Ping Li and Dalong ZhuDISCLOSURE
Zhu Dalong is an editorial board member of the Journal of Diabetes and a coauthor of this article. To minimize bias, they were excluded from all editorial decision-making related to the acceptance of this article for publication.
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