Endothelin system in intestinal villi: A possible role of endothelin-2/vasoactive intestinal contractor in the maintenance of intestinal architecture.
The endothelin system consists of three ligands (ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3) and at least two receptors (ETA and ETB). In mice ET-2 counterpart is a peptide originally called "vasoactive intestinal contractor" (VIC) for this reason, this peptide is frequently named ET-2/VIC. In intestinal villi, fibroblasts-like cells express endothelin's receptors and response to ET-1 and ET-3 peptides, changing their cellular shape. Several functions have been attributed to these peptides in the "architecture" maintenance of intestinal villi acting over sub-epithelial fibroblasts. Despite this, ET-2/VIC has not been analyzed in depth. In this work we show the intestine gene expression and immunolocalization of ET-1, ET-2 and the ETA and ETB receptors from duodenum to rectus and in the villus-crypt axis in mice, allowing a complete analysis of their functions. While ET-1 is expressed uniformly, ET-2 had a particular distribution, being higher at the bottom of the villi of duodenum, ileum and jejunum and reverting this pattern in the crypts of colon and rectus, where the higher expression was at the top. We postulated that ET-2 would act in a cooperative manner with ET-1, giving to the villus the straight enough to withstand mechanical stress.
Microscopy Laboratory Applied to Cellular and Molecular Studies, Bioengineering and Bioinformatic School, National University of Entre Ríos, Ruta 11, Km 10, 3101 Oro Verde, Entre Ríos, Argentina. marianabianchi@bioingenieria.edu.ar
Mariana
M
Bianchi
Javier
J
Adur
Satoshi
S
Takizawa
Kaname
K
Saida
Víctor H
VH
Casco
D000818:Animals; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019333:Endothelin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D010539:Permeability; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D019332:Endothelin-1; D019333:Endothelin-2; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B