GLP-1 (7-37)
also known as Glucagon-like peptide-1, GLP-1(7-37), Native GLP-1
Native 31-amino-acid incretin hormone secreted by intestinal L cells in response to nutrient ingestion. Stimulates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, and delays gastric emptying. Rapidly degraded by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) with plasma half-life of ~2 minutes. Parent molecule from which all clinical GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, exenatide) were engineered. Direct administration rarely used clinically; studied primarily as reference standard for analogue development.
At a glance
Research use only · IV/SC in experimental settings
Primary target — GLP-1 receptor (class B GPCR) [koole-2015].
Pathway — GLP-1R activation → cAMP production → PKA signaling → insulin secretion (pancreatic β-cells) [lu-2025][koole-2015].
Downstream effect — Glucose-dependent insulin release, glucagon suppression, delayed gastric emptying, reduced food intake [lu-2025][ding-2017].
Origin — Endogenous peptide cleaved from proglucagon in intestinal L cells; secreted postprandially.
Feedback intact — Yes — physiological secretion and degradation preserved.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Clinical use | None — native GLP-1 not used therapeuticallyEngineered analogues (semaglutide, liraglutide) used clinically. [friedman-2024] |
| Research dosing | Variable — 0.1–10 nmol/kg in animal modelsUsed as reference standard for analogue comparison. |
| Half-life | ~2 minutes (plasma) [alavi-2021][ding-2017]Requires continuous infusion for sustained effect. |
| Modified analogues | t½ extended to 13 h (liraglutide), 165 h (semaglutide)Via DPP-4 resistance + fatty acid acylation. |
Reconstitution
A pure mass-to-volume utility. Enter what you have in the vial; the atlas computes the volume per dose. No prescription information.
Native GLP-1 not used for fat loss — short half-life precludes sustained effect. Engineered analogues (semaglutide, liraglutide) demonstrate robust fat loss via prolonged GLP-1R activation.
| Outcome | Finding |
|---|---|
| Mechanism | GLP-1R activation in hypothalamic satiety centers (arcuate nucleus) reduces food intake [lu-2025]Effect demonstrated with long-acting analogues (liraglutide). |
| Native GLP-1 efficacy | Minimal — rapid degradation prevents sustained appetite suppression |
| Gastric emptying | Delayed in animal models, contributing to satiety |
| Body weight impact | Not observed with native GLP-1 — requires analogue formulations |
- 01Research use only
Native GLP-1(7-37) is not formulated for therapeutic use. Administered IV or SC in experimental protocols to study GLP-1R pharmacology and as reference standard for analogue development.
- 02Storage
Lyophilised peptide stored at -20°C or below. Reconstituted solutions should be prepared fresh and used immediately due to rapid degradation.
- 03Clinical alternatives
For therapeutic GLP-1R activation, use FDA-approved long-acting analogues: semaglutide (once weekly), liraglutide (once daily), dulaglutide (once weekly), or exenatide (twice daily or once weekly).
Sources
of 43 rendered claims carry a resolvable citation.
- [alavi-2021]Alavi 2021 — Developing GLP-1 Conjugated Self-Assembling Nanofibers Using Copper-Catalyzed Alkyne-Azide Cycloaddition and Evaluation of Their Biological Activity.
journal, 2021 - [cai-2018]Cai 2018 — Novel fatty acid chain modified GLP-1 derivatives with prolonged in vivo glucose-lowering ability and balanced glucoregulatory activity.
journal, 2018 - [ding-2017]Ding 2017 — BPI-3016, a novel long-acting hGLP-1 analogue for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
journal, 2017 - [friedman-2024]Friedman 2024 — The discovery and development of GLP-1 based drugs that have revolutionized the treatment of obesity.
journal, 2024 - [koole-2015]Koole 2015 — Differential impact of amino acid substitutions on critical residues of the human glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor involved in peptide activity and small-molecule allostery.
journal, 2015 - [lu-2025]Lu 2025 — Effects of tryptophan-selective lipidated glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) peptides on the GLP-1 receptor.
journal, 2025 - [pujadas-2016]Pujadas 2016 — The pivotal role of high glucose-induced overexpression of PKCβ in the appearance of glucagon-like peptide-1 resistance in endothelial cells.
journal, 2016 - [skurikhin-2017]Skurikhin 2017 — Effects of Pegylated Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Analogue in C57Bl/6 Mice under Optimal Conditions and During Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes.
journal, 2017 - [wang-2025]Wang 2025 — Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) conjugates modified with dual fatty acids and a proline-alanine-serine (PAS) polypeptide.
journal, 2025