Single cell transcriptome profiling of kidney cell populations and the effect of liraglutide in diabetes

While incretin-based therapies are known to improve glucose control in diabetes, growing evidence suggests a glucose-independent mechanism in protection against kidney disease. To further investigate incretin effects in kidney, we examined long-term therapy with liraglutide, a Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) agonist, in diabetic (Ins2Akita) and control mice and profiled renal cell transcriptomes using single-cell sequencing. Control and diabetic (C57BL/6 - Ins2Akita/J ) mice treated with liraglutide were monitored over a 20 week study period, followed by scRNA-seq analysis of dissociated aortae using the Drop-Seq platform from Dolomite Bio.