GCG and diabetic kidney disease: Previous reports show that GLP-1 receptor agonists may prevent disease progression in diabetic nephropathy through direct effects on the GLP-1 receptor in renal cells including glomerular endothelial cells and monocytes/macrophages.36 37 Higashijima et al38 also demonstrated that DPP-4 inhibitors, including anagliptin, reduced macrophage infiltration directly via GLP-1-dependent signaling in a rat Thy-1 nephritis model.