Xenin

GI / Metabolic

Also known as: Xenin-25

GI PeptidesResearch phase: Preclinical / Early clinical researchRegulatory: Not approved. Research peptide. Under investigation for metabolic disease.

Mechanism

Xenin is a gut hormone released from K cells alongside GIP that enhances insulin secretion and may amplify the incretin effect. It is being studied as an add-on to GIP-based diabetes therapies.

Technical detail

Xenin-25 is a 25-amino acid peptide co-secreted with GIP from intestinal K cells. It potentiates GIP-mediated insulin secretion via cholinergic relay pathways involving acetylcholine release from enteric neurons. Xenin also delays gastric emptying and reduces food intake. Dual GIP/xenin combinations are being investigated for type 2 diabetes.

Evidence

Xenin-25 amplifies GIP-mediated insulin secretion in humans with normal and impaired glucose tolerance but not type 2 diabetes
Wice BM et al. (2012) — Diabetes — PMID: 22522617
In human graded-glucose infusion studies, xenin-25 alone did not raise insulin secretion, but combined with GIP it transiently amplified insulin secretion and glucagon responses in normal and impaired glucose tolerance, not in type 2 diabetes.
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