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World J Diabetes. Jul 15, 2026; 17(7): 117243
Published online Jul 15, 2026. doi: 10.4239/wjd.117243
Published online Jul 15, 2026. doi: 10.4239/wjd.117243
Letter to the Editor: Is the cellular attribution of liraglutide action in diabetic cardiomyopathy conclusive?
Ke Su, Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Puai Hospital, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China
Pei-Yan Cao, Gan Chen, Ke Wu, Institute for Advanced Biomedical Research, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, United States
Pei-Yan Cao, Department of General Studies, Fulton Science Academy Private School, Cumming, GA 30040, United States
Gan Chen, Department of General Studies, Diamond Bar High School, Diamond Bar, CA 91765, United States
Author contributions: Su K conceived the idea and drafted the manuscript; Cao PY performed the literature review and assisted in data interpretation; Chen G assisted with manuscript revision and formatting; Wu K provided intellectual guidance on the study concept and contributed to manuscript revision and formatting; all authors critically reviewed the manuscript and approved the final version.
AI contribution statement: Grammarly was used solely for grammar correction and spelling checks. All sections of the manuscript are entirely original, based on the authors’ own analysis and interpretation of previously published studies. No part of the main text was generated by AI. Grammarly was used for language polishing only. No AI tools were used for data analysis, content generation, or substantive writing assistance. No AI tools were involved in the design of the study or in the interpretation of the results. No images in the manuscript were generated using AI.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.
Corresponding author: Ke Wu, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Institute for Advanced Biomedical Research, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, 1731 E. 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059, United States. kewu@cdrewu.edu
Received: December 3, 2025
Revised: January 16, 2026
Accepted: January 27, 2026
Published online: July 15, 2026
Processing time: 218 Days and 10.3 Hours
Revised: January 16, 2026
Accepted: January 27, 2026
Published online: July 15, 2026
Processing time: 218 Days and 10.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: The cellular targets mediating the cardioprotective effects of liraglutide in diabetic cardiomyopathy remain incompletely defined. While recent studies report beneficial cardiac phenotypes, the attribution of these effects to direct cardiomyocyte receptor signaling is not yet conclusively established. This correspondence highlights uncertainties related to cell-type specificity and potential non-myocyte contributions, and emphasizes the need for rigorous cell-type resolved validation. Clarifying the cellular basis of liraglutide action is critical for accurate mechanistic interpretation and future translational applications.