Glossary
Amylin
Amylin is a 37-residue hormone that beta-cells release together with insulin. Its receptors, its tendency to aggregate, and why analogs join GLP-1 studies.
Amylin — also known as islet amyloid polypeptide, or IAPP — is a hormone of 37 amino acids that pancreatic beta-cells release together with insulin, at a molar ratio of about 1:100. A disulfide bridge linking residues 2 and 7 and an amidated C-terminus are both essential for its activity.
Receptor pharmacology and published findings
There is no single receptor reserved for amylin. Instead, the calcitonin receptor teams up with receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMP1–3) to form the amylin receptor subtypes AMY1–AMY3, and signalling is focused in the area postrema and the nucleus tractus solitarius. The literature reports delayed gastric emptying, dampened glucagon release after meals, and a satiation signal that helps end a meal — a mechanism separate from GLP-1, which is why the two are frequently investigated in combination.
Why amylin aggregates
The human peptide readily forms amyloid, assembling itself into fibrils; this is part of the islet pathology seen in type 2 diabetes and also a serious obstacle to formulation. Analogs get around it by altering the sequence: pramlintide borrows proline substitutions from the rat sequence, which does not aggregate, and cagrilintide is a long-acting acylated analog investigated together with semaglutide in combination studies.
Related terms
incretin · disulfide bridge. See the amylin research family, Semaglutide + Cagrilintide, and Cagrilintide vs Semaglutide.