title: Gastrointestinal tract as a target organ for orally administered insulin.
abstract: The intestine is not considered to be a classic target tissue for insulin. Recent in vitro and in vivo experiments suggest that intestinal as well as systemic effects are observed following oral administration of insulin. Local effects include enhancement of intestinal growth, cell maturation, enzyme expression, gut adaptation after intestinal resection and reduction of intestinal permeability. Systemic effects, at least in animal models, include favorable effects on blood glucose and lipid profile and on the prevention of autoimmunity and attenuating the atherosclerotic process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics A, Meyer Children's Hospital of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. n_shehadeh@rambam.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Naim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shehadeh
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sukhotnik
authors.forename: Raanan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shamir
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D007422:Intestines; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids