title: Glucagon-like peptide 2 treatment may improve intestinal adaptation during weaning.
abstract: Transition from sow's milk to solid feed is associated with intestinal atrophy and diarrhea. We hypothesized that the intestinotrophic hormone glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) would induce a dose- and health status-dependent effect on gut adaptation. In Exp. 1, weaned pigs (average BW at weaning 4.98 ± 0.18 kg) were kept in a high-sanitary environment and injected with saline or short-acting GLP-2 (80 μg/(kg BW·12 h); n = 8). Under these conditions, there was no diarrhea and GLP-2 did not improve gastrointestinal structure or function. In Exp. 2, weaned pigs (average BW at weaning 6.68 ± 0.27 kg) were kept in a low-sanitary environment, leading to weaning diarrhea, and injected with saline or short-acting GLP-2 (200 µg/(kg BW·12 h); n = 11). Treatment with GLP-2 increased goblet cell density (P < 0.05) and reduced short chain fatty acid concentration in the colon (P < 0.01) but had limited effects on diarrhea. In Exp. 3, weaned pigs (average BW at weaning 6.90 ± 0.32 kg) were kept in a low-sanitary environment and injected with saline or a long-acting acylated GLP-2 analogue (25 µg/(kg BW·12 h); n = 8). In this experiment, GLP-2 increased intestinal weight (+22%; P < 0.01) and activity of brush border enzymes (+50-100%; P < 0.05). Circulating GLP-2 levels were in the pharmacological range in Exp. 3 (constant levels >20,000 pmol/L) and Exp. 2 (increases to 20,000 pmol/L for a few hours each day) while they were in the supraphysiological range in Exp. 1 (50-200 pmol/L). In conclusion, GLP-2 may improve gut structure and function in weanling pigs. However, the effects may be significant only under conditions of diarrhea and if GLP-2 exposure time is extended using long-acting analogues.
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Dep. of Human Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, DK-1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thymann
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Le Huërou-Luron
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hedemann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elinf
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Holst
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Sangild
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2