Metabolic & Weight

Peptide YY Analogue (Cagrilintide Component)

Native GLP-1 (7-37) is the endogenous 31-aa incretin secreted by intestinal L-cells. It potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, slows gastric emptying, and reduces appetite. The structural template for semaglutide, liraglutide, and exenatide.

C149H246N44O47SHalf-life: ~1-2 minutes (endogenous)Molar mass: 3297.70 g/mol

⚠ Research & Educational Use Only. Peptide YY Analogue (Cagrilintide Component) is a research chemical documented here for scientific education. All information references peer-reviewed literature and preclinical/clinical study data. Not for human consumption. Not medical advice. Consult a licensed researcher or healthcare professional before any laboratory use.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Amanda Reid, MDWritten by the KnowYourPeptide Research TeamLast updated April 2026
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Key Takeaways
  • Potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion from beta cells — the defining incretin mechanism
  • Suppresses postprandial glucagon secretion from alpha cells — reduces hepatic glucose output
  • Slows gastric emptying — modulates rate of nutrient absorption after meals
  • Peptide YY Analogue (Cagrilintide Component) is not FDA-approved for human use. It is a research chemical for scientific study only.

Research At a Glance

  • Potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion from beta cells — the defining incretin mechanism
  • Suppresses postprandial glucagon secretion from alpha cells — reduces hepatic glucose output
  • Slows gastric emptying — modulates rate of nutrient absorption after meals
  • Reduces appetite via GLP-1R on hypothalamic neurons (arcuate nucleus) and area postrema

What is Peptide YY Analogue (Cagrilintide Component)?

Native GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1, 7-37) is a 31-amino acid incretin hormone produced by post-translational processing of proglucagon in intestinal L-cells, enteric neurons, and the nucleus of the solitary tract in the brainstem. The biologically active forms are GLP-1(7-37) and GLP-1(7-36)amide; the latter is the predominant circulating form.

GLP-1 is secreted within 10-15 minutes of a meal in proportion to meal caloric content, with the fastest rise occurring in response to combined fat and carbohydrate intake. Its secretion is mediated by both direct L-cell stimulation (distal gut contact with nutrients) and neural (vagal) reflexes from proximal nutrient sensing.

**Mechanism of action via GLP-1R:** 1. **Pancreatic beta cells**: cAMP-mediated potentiation of KATP channel closure → depolarization → insulin secretion (glucose-dependent) 2. **Pancreatic alpha cells**: suppresses glucagon secretion (indirect, via somatostatin and direct alpha-cell GLP-1R) 3. **Stomach**: vagal GLP-1R activation slows gastric emptying 4. **Hypothalamus/brainstem**: GLP-1R in arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, and area postrema → satiety, nausea 5. **Heart**: GLP-1R on cardiomyocytes → cardioprotection (MACE reduction in cardiovascular outcome trials)

The critical limitation of native GLP-1 is its ~1-2 minute plasma half-life due to N-terminal DPP-IV cleavage at position 2 (His-Ala motif). This limitation drove the development of the entire GLP-1R agonist drug class — by modifying the His-Ala motif, extending the peptide, or attaching fatty acid chains for albumin binding, pharmaceutical companies produced once-daily and once-weekly injectable drugs (liraglutide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, exenatide ER) and even oral formulations (oral semaglutide).

GLP-1's research applications span metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease (LEADER, SUSTAIN-6, AMPLITUDE-O trials demonstrated cardiovascular protection), neurodegenerative disease (GLP-1R on dopaminergic neurons; liraglutide studied in Parkinson's disease), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Key Research Benefits

Documented effects observed in preclinical and clinical studies on Peptide YY Analogue (Cagrilintide Component). See all Metabolic & Weight peptides for comparison.

Potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion from beta cells — the defining incretin mechanism
Suppresses postprandial glucagon secretion from alpha cells — reduces hepatic glucose output
Slows gastric emptying — modulates rate of nutrient absorption after meals
Reduces appetite via GLP-1R on hypothalamic neurons (arcuate nucleus) and area postrema
Cardioprotective: GLP-1R agonism reduces MACE in T2D trials (SUSTAIN, LEADER, AMPLITUDE-O)
Neuroprotective: GLP-1R on neurons implicated in neurodegeneration research (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's)

Side Effects & Risks

Adverse effects reported in the research literature. All data sourced from preclinical and clinical study reports.

Native GLP-1 is rapidly degraded by DPP-IV enzyme — half-life ~1-2 minutes in plasma (hence the development of DPP-IV-resistant analogues)
Nausea at pharmacological doses (shared by all GLP-1R agonists)
Vomiting, diarrhea at higher concentrations
Not clinically used as native form — all therapeutic applications use long-acting analogues (semaglutide, liraglutide)

Dosing Data from the Literature

Doses referenced below are sourced from published preclinical and clinical studies. Use the peptide dose calculator to convert these values to injection volume.

Research Dosing Protocol

Native GLP-1 is used as a research reference standard in incretin studies. Clinical applications use long-acting analogues:

Research IV infusion: 0.75-1.5 pmol/kg/min continuous IV infusion for acute metabolic studies Exenatide (twice-daily): 5-10 mcg SC BID (reference GLP-1R agonist) Liraglutide: 0.6-1.8 mg SC daily Semaglutide (weekly): 0.5-2 mg SC weekly or 3-14 mg oral daily

Enter your vial size and target dose to get the exact injection volume.

Administration in Research Settings

Standard reconstitution and administration methodology for laboratory research use.

Native GLP-1 is exclusively used as a research tool in acute infusion studies. All clinical and translational research uses DPP-IV-resistant long-acting analogues.

Explore Further

Quick Reference

Half-Life
~1-2 minutes (endogenous)
Molar Mass
3297.70 g/mol
Formula
C149H246N44O47S
Legal Status
Research peptide (native form). Long-acting GLP-1R agonists (semaglutide, liraglutide, exenatide, dulaglutide) are FDA-approved drugs.
Storage
Store lyophilized GLP-1 at -20°C or -80°C. Reconstituted solution is unstable due to DPP-IV degradation — use within 1-2 hours or include DPP-IV inhibitor in the buffer.

Research Use Only

This information is for educational research purposes only. This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.