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Mouse Metabolism 8-Plex Panel

Mouse Metabolism Multiplex Panel (8-Plex)

Q: Why is GLP-1 included alongside insulin and glucagon?

GLP-1 is the incretin that amplifies glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and suppresses glucagon, and the target of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Measuring it with insulin and glucagon shows whether responses are incretin-dependent.

Q: Do I really need to use a DPP-IV inhibitor for sample collection?

Yes, for accurate GLP-1 and GIP data. DPP-IV cleaves both within 1–2 minutes and degradation continues in the tube. Without an inhibitor (e.g., sitagliptin), measured GLP-1 is artifactually low. Other analytes are unaffected.

Q: Should I collect blood from fasted or fed mice?

It depends on the question. Fasting (5–6 hr or overnight) is standard for insulin, glucagon, leptin, ghrelin, resistin, and PAI-1. GLP-1 and GIP are incretins needing nutrient stimulus; collect a post-glucose sample for those.

Q: How does the HOMA-IR calculation work with this panel?

HOMA-IR = [fasting insulin (mU/L) × fasting glucose (mmol/L)] / 22.5. We convert panel insulin (pg/mL) to mU/L (1 mU/L = 6.945 pg/mL mouse insulin) and calculate HOMA-IR if you provide fasting glucose values.

Q: Can this panel replace individual RIA for glucagon measurement?

Yes. The Luminex 8-plex uses a sensitive sandwich immunoassay with a 0.5 pg/mL glucagon LLOQ, comparable to or better than most RIAs, with no radioactivity and correlation to RIA of R² > 0.90.

Simultaneous quantification of 8 key metabolic hormones and regulators — Insulin, Glucagon, Leptin, GLP-1, Ghrelin, GIP, Resistin, and PAI-1 — in a single well using Luminex xMAP technology. Designed for preclinical diabetes research, obesity and metabolic syndrome studies, and metabolic drug development in mouse models.

8 TargetsMouse25 μL Samplepg/mL Sensitivity

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Metabolic diseases — type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome — are among the most active areas of preclinical drug development, and the mouse is the dominant model organism for metabolic research. Mouse models including db/db, ob/ob, diet-induced obesity (DIO), and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes recapitulate key features of human metabolic disease. The metabolic state in these models is defined by an integrated hormonal network involving pancreatic islet hormones (Insulin, Glucagon), gut-derived incretins (GLP-1, GIP), adipokines (Leptin, Resistin), appetite regulators (Ghrelin), and metabolic stress markers (PAI-1) — all of which must be measured together to understand pathophysiology and therapeutic response.

Creative Proteomics offers the Mouse Metabolism 8-Plex Panel based on the Luminex xMAP platform for simultaneous quantification of eight key metabolic hormones and regulators in a single well. The panel covers glucose homeostasis (Insulin, Glucagon), appetite and energy balance (Leptin, Ghrelin), incretin signaling (GLP-1, GIP), and metabolic stress/inflammation (Resistin, PAI-1). Validated for serum and plasma from all standard mouse metabolic models, the panel is compatible with MAGPIX, Luminex 200, and FLEXMAP 3D systems, requiring only 25 μL of sample per well.

The panel is backed by validated performance data with intra-assay CV <10% and sensitive detection limits (Glucagon: 0.5 pg/mL LLOQ; GLP-1: 0.6 pg/mL; Insulin: 68 pg/mL; Leptin: 5 pg/mL), enabling accurate quantitation across the wide physiological and pathological concentration ranges encountered in metabolic disease models.

Panel Specifications

TechnologyLuminex xMAP

Panel Size8-plex

SpeciesMouse

Sample TypesSerum, EDTA/Heparin Plasma

Sample Volume25 μL per well

Sensitivity0.5–68 pg/mL (LLOQ, varies by analyte)

Assay Time~4 hours

Complete Analyte List — 8 Mouse Metabolic Hormones & Regulators

The Mouse Metabolism 8-Plex Panel covers the four functional axes of metabolic regulation: glucose homeostasis, appetite/energy balance, incretin signaling, and metabolic stress.

Target	Alternative Name	Functional Axis	Biological Function in Metabolism
Insulin	—	Glucose Homeostasis	Pancreatic β-cell hormone; primary anabolic signal promoting glucose uptake, glycogenesis, and lipogenesis; the defining defect in type 1 (absolute deficiency) and type 2 (relative deficiency + resistance) diabetes
Glucagon	GCG	Glucose Homeostasis	Pancreatic α-cell counter-regulatory hormone; stimulates hepatic glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis; opposes insulin action; dysregulated hyperglucagonemia contributes to diabetic hyperglycemia; LLOQ 0.5 pg/mL
Leptin	OB Protein	Appetite & Energy Balance	Adipocyte-derived satiety hormone; signals body fat stores to hypothalamic appetite centers; leptin deficiency (ob/ob mice) causes hyperphagia and severe obesity; leptin resistance in DIO mimics human obesity; LLOQ 5 pg/mL
Ghrelin	Appetite-Regulating Hormone	Appetite & Energy Balance	Stomach-derived orexigenic (appetite-stimulating) hormone; rises before meals, falls after eating; stimulates growth hormone release via GHS-R1a; implicated in meal initiation and hedonic feeding behavior
GLP-1	Glucagon-Like Peptide-1	Incretin Signaling	Gut L-cell-derived incretin hormone; potentiates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion; suppresses glucagon; delays gastric emptying; target of GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, liraglutide), now first-line diabetes/obesity therapy; LLOQ 0.6 pg/mL
GIP	Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide, Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Peptide	Incretin Signaling	Gut K-cell-derived incretin; augments glucose-stimulated insulin secretion; promotes lipid storage in adipocytes; target of dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists (tirzepatide); GIPR agonism adds metabolic benefit beyond GLP-1 alone
Resistin	ADSF, FIZZ3	Metabolic Inflammation	Adipokine linking obesity to insulin resistance; promotes pro-inflammatory cytokine production from macrophages; elevated in DIO and ob/ob models; antagonizes insulin signaling in liver and skeletal muscle
PAI-1	Serpin E1, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1	Metabolic Stress / Thrombosis	Elevated in obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome; produced by visceral adipose tissue; impairs fibrinolysis, contributing to the pro-thrombotic state of obesity; independent cardiovascular risk factor

Why 8 targets? The panel measures four functional axes simultaneously: (1) Glucose homeostasis (Insulin + Glucagon) — the β-cell/α-cell axis, (2) Appetite/energy balance (Leptin + Ghrelin) — the adipose-gut-brain axis, (3) Incretin signaling (GLP-1 + GIP) — the gut-pancreas axis targeted by the most successful diabetes/obesity drugs, and (4) Metabolic stress (Resistin + PAI-1) — the adipose-vascular axis. Single-axis measurement (e.g., insulin alone) misses the integrated hormonal network that defines the metabolic phenotype.

Don't see the metabolic marker you need? This 8-plex is a focused subset from a broader Mouse Metabolic Hormone platform with 15+ available targets, including Amylin, C-Peptide, GIP, PP, PYY, Secretin, and IL-6. Contact us with your target list for a custom panel quote.

Technical Specifications

Validated performance parameters for the Mouse Metabolism 8-Plex Panel.

Platform and Assay

PlatformLuminex xMAP (MAGPIX / Luminex 200 / FLEXMAP 3D)

Panel Size8-plex

SpeciesMouse

Sample TypesSerum, EDTA/Heparin Plasma

Sample Volume25 μL per well

Assay Time~4 hours

Performance Metrics

Sensitivity (LLOQ)Glucagon: 0.5 pg/mL; GLP-1: 0.6 pg/mL; Leptin: 5 pg/mL; Insulin: 68 pg/mL; Ghrelin: ~1 pg/mL; GIP: ~0.5 pg/mL; Resistin: ~1 pg/mL; PAI-1: ~2 pg/mL

Intra-Assay CV<10%

Inter-Assay CV<15%

Spike Recovery80–120%

Standard Curve5PL fit, R² >0.99

Luminex Multiplex vs. Traditional Methods for Metabolic Hormone Analysis

Metabolic hormones are traditionally measured by individual ELISA or RIA. Luminex multiplex captures the full metabolic regulatory network from a single sample.

Parameter	Luminex 8-Plex	Individual ELISA (8 assays)	RIA (per analyte)
Targets per Well	8	1	1
Sample Volume	25 μL	200–800 μL total	100–200 μL per test
Radioactive?	No (fluorescent)	No (colorimetric/chemiluminescent)	Yes (I-125 labeled)
Assay Time	~4 hours	24–40 hours total	Overnight + counting
HOMA-IR Calculation	Yes (Insulin from panel + glucose from chemistry)	Yes (separate insulin ELISA + glucose)	Yes (separate insulin RIA + glucose)

The Insulin/Glucagon ratio is a key metabolic parameter reflecting the β-cell/α-cell balance that is disrupted in diabetes. Simultaneous measurement from the same sample aliquot is required because insulin and glucagon have different stability profiles during storage and freeze-thaw. Separate ELISA measurements on different days introduce between-assay variability that can mask physiological changes in the ratio — particularly problematic in mouse studies where inter-animal variability is already substantial.

Sample Requirements for Mouse Metabolism Luminex Assays

Metabolic hormones are sensitive to feeding state. Proper fasting protocols and sample handling are critical for reproducible results.

Sample Type	Volume	Requirement
Serum (Fasting, Preferred)	25 μL	Overnight fast (12–16 hr) or 5–6 hr fast. Collect via submandibular or retro-orbital bleed. Fed-state is appropriate for GLP-1/GIP measurement (incretins require nutrient stimulus).
EDTA Plasma	25 μL	Add DPP-IV inhibitor (e.g., sitagliptin at 10 μL/mL blood) immediately upon collection if measuring GLP-1 — GLP-1 is rapidly degraded by DPP-IV (t½ <2 min in vivo)
Minimum Project Size	—	One 96-well plate; smaller batches accepted with surcharge
Fasting Protocol	—	Critical: record fasting duration (hours) and whether fast was overnight (dark cycle) or daytime. This affects insulin, glucagon, leptin, and ghrelin — fasting duration must be consistent across all animals within a study
Sample Storage	—	-80°C; GLP-1 and Glucagon are susceptible to degradation — avoid repeated freeze-thaw
Shipping	—	Dry ice; samples must remain frozen throughout transit

DPP-IV inhibitor reminder: GLP-1 and GIP are cleaved and inactivated by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-IV) with half-lives of <2 minutes in circulation. For accurate GLP-1/GIP measurement, blood must be collected into tubes pre-loaded with a DPP-IV inhibitor (e.g., sitagliptin, linagliptin, or a commercial DPP-IV inhibitor cocktail). Without inhibitor, measured GLP-1 will be artifactually low. We can provide pre-treated collection tubes upon request or advise on inhibitor selection.

How the Mouse Metabolism 8-Plex Panel Works

Metabolic disease is defined by the integrated dysfunction of multiple hormonal axes. The 8-plex panel captures four dimensions of the metabolic state in a single assay.

Glucose

Glucose Homeostasis

Insulin, Glucagon — the pancreatic β-cell/α-cell axis. In db/db mice, insulin is massively elevated (insulin resistance) and glucagon is inappropriately normal or high despite hyperglycemia. HOMA-IR can be calculated from fasting insulin. 25 μL per well.

Key parameter: Insulin/Glucagon ratio, HOMA-IR

Appetite

Appetite & Energy Balance

Leptin, Ghrelin — the adipose-gut-brain axis. ob/ob mice have undetectable leptin (genetic deficiency). DIO mice have elevated leptin (leptin resistance). Ghrelin rises with fasting, falls with feeding. 25 μL per well.

Key parameter: Leptin (adiposity signal), Ghrelin (hunger signal)

Incretin

Incretin & Metabolic Stress

GLP-1, GIP, Resistin, PAI-1 — the gut-pancreas incretin axis (GLP-1/GIP) and the adipose-vascular stress axis (Resistin/PAI-1). GLP-1 measurement is critical for evaluating GLP-1 receptor agonist efficacy in preclinical models. 25 μL per well.

Key parameter: GLP-1 response to nutrient challenge, Resistin/PAI-1 as metabolic stress indicators

The DPP-IV problem and why multiplex matters: GLP-1 and GIP are both DPP-IV substrates and degrade simultaneously in collected blood. A single DPP-IV inhibitor-treated sample enables accurate measurement of both incretins from the same aliquot — something that is technically challenging with individual ELISA since each kit may have different inhibitor compatibility requirements. The 8-plex panel is validated for DPP-IV inhibitor-treated plasma, ensuring accurate incretin data without compromising the other six analytes.

Mouse Metabolism Panel Research Applications

The Mouse Metabolism 8-Plex Panel supports preclinical research in diabetes, obesity, incretin biology, and metabolic drug development.

Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

db/db (leptin receptor mutant) and DIO mice are the standard models of type 2 diabetes. The panel quantifies hyperinsulinemia (compensatory β-cell response), glucagon dysregulation, leptin resistance, and elevated resistin/PAI-1 — capturing the full metabolic syndrome profile from a single sample. HOMA-IR calculation from fasting insulin and glucose enables quantitative insulin resistance assessment.

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Efficacy Studies

GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide) are the most prescribed metabolic drugs. The panel quantifies the endogenous incretin axis (GLP-1, GIP) alongside the insulin/glucagon response to treatment. Rising endogenous GLP-1 during therapy distinguishes compounds that stimulate endogenous incretin secretion from those that only provide exogenous receptor agonism.

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Diet-induced obesity (DIO) in C57BL/6 mice fed a 60% high-fat diet recapitulates human metabolic syndrome. The panel tracks the progression from normoglycemia to insulin resistance to frank hyperglycemia through serial hormone measurement: rising leptin (adiposity), rising insulin (β-cell compensation), rising resistin and PAI-1 (adipose inflammation), and eventual β-cell failure (declining insulin-to-glucose ratio).

Incretin Biology and Nutrient Sensing

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with timed GLP-1 and GIP measurement reveals the functional incretin response. The panel distinguishes impaired incretin secretion (low GLP-1/GIP response to oral glucose) from incretin resistance (normal GLP-1 but blunted insulin response) — two mechanistically distinct causes of postprandial hyperglycemia.

Type 1 Diabetes and β-Cell Biology

STZ-induced and NOD mouse models of type 1 diabetes are characterized by absolute insulin deficiency and glucagon dysregulation. The panel quantifies the progressive loss of insulin secretion, paradoxical hyperglucagonemia, and altered leptin/ghrelin signaling during disease development and following islet transplantation or β-cell regenerative therapy.

Anti-Obesity and Metabolic Drug Development

New-generation anti-obesity agents (GLP-1/GIP dual agonists, amylin analogues, MC4R agonists) require comprehensive metabolic phenotyping for efficacy assessment. The 8-plex panel provides simultaneous readout of appetite hormones (ghrelin, leptin), incretins (GLP-1, GIP), insulin sensitivity (insulin, resistin), and metabolic stress (PAI-1) — capturing the multi-dimensional metabolic response to therapy from a single 25 μL sample per time point.

Deliverables and Quality Metrics

Every Luminex mouse metabolism assay includes a comprehensive data package with full quality control documentation.

Data Package

Raw fluorescence intensities (.csv)
Calculated concentrations (pg/mL or ng/mL) for all 8 metabolic hormones
Insulin/Glucagon ratio (optional)
HOMA-IR calculation if fasting glucose provided
5PL standard curves for each analyte (R² >0.99)
Full QC report (.xlsx format)

Quality Control

Standard curve: 7-point dilution series, 5PL fit, R² >0.99
Intra-assay CV <10%
Inter-assay CV <15%
Spike recovery: 80–120%

Assay Performance

Duplicate sample measurements for all samples
Fasting status and DPP-IV inhibitor use documented
Method summary with reagent lot numbers
LLOQ reported per analyte
Platform: Luminex xMAP, compatible with MAGPIX, Luminex 200, FLEXMAP 3D

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Frequently Asked Questions About Mouse Metabolism Panel

Common questions about our mouse metabolic hormone Luminex multiplex panel service.

Why is GLP-1 included alongside insulin and glucagon?

GLP-1 is the endogenous incretin that physiologically amplifies glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and suppresses glucagon. It is also the target of the most successful class of diabetes/obesity drugs (GLP-1 receptor agonists). Measuring GLP-1 alongside insulin and glucagon reveals whether the insulin/glucagon response is incretin-dependent (low GLP-1 with low insulin = impaired incretin secretion) or incretin-independent. In preclinical studies of GLP-1 receptor agonists, the panel distinguishes exogenously administered drug effect from endogenous GLP-1 secretion.

Do I really need to use a DPP-IV inhibitor for sample collection?

Yes, if you need accurate GLP-1 and GIP data. DPP-IV cleaves GLP-1 and GIP within 1–2 minutes in circulation, and degradation continues in the collection tube. Without a DPP-IV inhibitor, measured GLP-1 will be artifactually low (often near or below detection limit) regardless of the actual in vivo concentration. DPP-IV inhibitors (e.g., sitagliptin at 10 μL/mL blood) prevent ex vivo degradation without affecting the other 6 analytes in the panel. We can provide pre-loaded collection tubes or advise on inhibitor selection and concentration.

Should I collect blood from fasted or fed mice?

It depends on your research question. Fasting (5–6 hr or overnight 12–16 hr) is standard for insulin, glucagon, leptin, ghrelin, resistin, and PAI-1 — these hormones are heavily influenced by recent food intake. However, GLP-1 and GIP are incretins that require nutrient stimulus for secretion; fasted levels are low. For comprehensive metabolic phenotyping, consider collecting both a fasting sample (for insulin, glucagon, leptin, ghrelin, resistin, PAI-1) and a post-glucose-challenge sample (for GLP-1, GIP, and insulin at +15 or +30 min after oral glucose). The 25 μL requirement makes this feasible even in mice.

How does the HOMA-IR calculation work with this panel?

HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) = [fasting insulin (mU/L) × fasting glucose (mmol/L)] / 22.5. The panel provides fasting insulin concentration in pg/mL, which we convert to mU/L (1 mU/L = 6.945 pg/mL for mouse insulin). If you provide fasting glucose values (from a glucometer reading at the time of blood collection), we will calculate HOMA-IR and include it in the final data package. This is a widely used index of insulin resistance that correlates well with the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp gold standard.

Can this panel replace individual RIA for glucagon measurement?

Glucagon has traditionally been measured by RIA due to the historical lack of sensitive sandwich immunoassays. The Luminex 8-plex uses a sensitive sandwich immunoassay format with an LLOQ of 0.5 pg/mL for glucagon, which is comparable to or better than most commercial RIAs. Advantages over RIA include: no radioactive waste/handling requirements, simultaneous measurement from the same sample as the other 7 analytes, and elimination of between-assay variability for glucagon-to-insulin ratio calculations. Published studies comparing Luminex glucagon measurement to RIA have shown good correlation (R² > 0.90).

How stable are these metabolic hormones with repeated freeze-thaw?

Insulin, leptin, resistin, and PAI-1 are relatively stable through 2–3 freeze-thaw cycles. GLP-1 and glucagon are the most labile — even without DPP-IV degradation, they can lose 10–20% immunoreactivity per freeze-thaw cycle. Ghrelin is moderately stable but degrades at room temperature. For best results: aliquot samples at the time of collection into single-use volumes, add DPP-IV inhibitor before freezing, and ship on dry ice. If repeated freeze-thaw is unavoidable, note the number of cycles in your sample metadata so we can account for potential degradation.

Interested in Mouse Metabolic Profiling?

Contact us to discuss your mouse metabolism study requirements, fasting/feeding protocols, DPP-IV inhibitor usage, and panel customization options. We respond within 24 hours.

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