title: Modulation of specific intestinal epithelial progenitors by enteric neurons.
abstract: The proglucagon-derived peptide glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2), a product of a subset of gut epithelial cells, is pursued clinically for its ability to stimulate gut epithelial growth and repair. Here we show that although specific epithelial progenitors respond to GLP-2 administration, the epithelium does not express the GLP-2 receptor. Rather, enteric neurons express the receptor, respond to GLP-2, and transmit a signal (which can be blocked by the voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitor tetrodotoxin) back to the epithelium. Thus the nervous system is a key component of a feedback loop regulating epithelial growth and repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8. matthew.bjerknes@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bjerknes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016762:Genes, fos; D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000294:innervation*; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon / Q000032:analysis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C000593834:Glp1r protein, mouse; D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D010455:Peptides; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides