A scientific study has revealed a possible mechanism that helps explain the ability of a drug used to treat some cases of diabetes and heart failure to reduce the formation of blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
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Experiments conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan showed that the drug sotagliflozin, known commercially as Inpefa, may reduce the hyperactivation of platelets, which are cells that help the blood to clot, but whose excessive activity can lead to the formation of clots that impede blood flow to the heart or brain.
The study's findings were published in the journal Clinical Investigation, indicating that the drug's potential benefits may extend beyond its effect on lowering blood sugar levels.
Sotagliflozin works by inhibiting two proteins, SGLT1 and SGLT2, which are involved in the reabsorption of glucose in the body, thus helping to lower blood sugar levels.
To understand its effect on platelets, the researchers compared it to the drug empagliflozin (Jardiance), which lowers blood sugar by inhibiting the SGLT2 protein and is also used to reduce certain heart and kidney risks in certain patient groups.
Platelet activation: Sotagliflozin reduced platelet activation in blood samples taken from healthy volunteers and people with type 2 diabetes, while the effect of empagliflozin was limited or not noticeable.
Blood clot formation: Blood clot formation decreased by about 60% in mice that received sotagliflozin after blood vessel injury, compared to a decrease of between 5% and 10% in mice treated with empagliflozin.
The role of proteins: Deleting the protein "SGLT1" from the platelets of mice led to a decrease in clot formation by about 40%, but inhibiting this protein alone did not achieve the full effect of the drug.
The results suggest that the drug may affect blood clot formation through additional mechanisms beyond lowering blood sugar levels and inhibiting the SGLT1 protein. The team is also investigating whether this protein, found in the cells lining blood vessels, plays a role in regulating platelet interactions.
Researchers believe that understanding these mechanisms could help in developing ways to reduce blood clots without increasing the risk of bleeding, which is an important challenge in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
The team plans to conduct further studies to evaluate the drug's effects in patients with other conditions, including chronic kidney disease and atrial fibrillation.
However, the current findings do not prove that sotagliflozin directly prevents heart attacks or strokes in humans, as a significant part of them is based on laboratory and animal experiments, which calls for further clinical studies to determine the extent to which these results can be used in treatment.
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