Intestinal growth adaptation and glucagon-like peptide 2 in rats with ileal--jejunal transposition or small bowel resection

TY - JOUR

T1 - Intestinal growth adaptation and glucagon-like peptide 2 in rats with ileal--jejunal transposition or small bowel resection

AU - Thulesen, J

AU - Hartmann, B

AU - Kissow, Hannelouise

AU - Jeppesen, P B

AU - Orskov, C

AU - Holst, J J

AU - Poulsen, S S

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - Glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2), produced by enteroendocrine L-cells, regulates intestinal growth. This study investigates circulating and intestinal GLP-2 levels in conditions with altered L-cell exposure to nutrients. Rats were allocated to the following experimental groups: ileal-jejunal transposition, resection of the proximal or distal half of the small intestine, and appropriate sham-operated controls. After two weeks, ileal-jejunal transposition led to pronounced growth of the transposed segment and also of the remaining intestinal segments. Plasma GLP-2 levels increased twofold, whereas GLP-2 levels in the intestinal segments were unchanged. In resected rats with reduced intestinal capacity, adaptive small bowel growth was more pronounced following proximal resection than distal small bowel resection. Circulating GLP-2 levels increased threefold in proximally resected animals, and twofold in the distally resected group. Tissue GLP-2 levels were unchanged in resected rats. The data indicate that transposition of a distal part of the small intestine, and thereby exposure of L cells to a more nutrient-rich chyme, leads to intestinal growth. The adaptive intestinal growth is associated with increased plasma levels of GLP-2, and GLP-2 seems to act in an endocrine as well as a paracrine manner.

AB - Glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2), produced by enteroendocrine L-cells, regulates intestinal growth. This study investigates circulating and intestinal GLP-2 levels in conditions with altered L-cell exposure to nutrients. Rats were allocated to the following experimental groups: ileal-jejunal transposition, resection of the proximal or distal half of the small intestine, and appropriate sham-operated controls. After two weeks, ileal-jejunal transposition led to pronounced growth of the transposed segment and also of the remaining intestinal segments. Plasma GLP-2 levels increased twofold, whereas GLP-2 levels in the intestinal segments were unchanged. In resected rats with reduced intestinal capacity, adaptive small bowel growth was more pronounced following proximal resection than distal small bowel resection. Circulating GLP-2 levels increased threefold in proximally resected animals, and twofold in the distally resected group. Tissue GLP-2 levels were unchanged in resected rats. The data indicate that transposition of a distal part of the small intestine, and thereby exposure of L cells to a more nutrient-rich chyme, leads to intestinal growth. The adaptive intestinal growth is associated with increased plasma levels of GLP-2, and GLP-2 seems to act in an endocrine as well as a paracrine manner.

KW - Adaptation, Physiological

KW - Animals

KW - Body Weight

KW - Energy Intake

KW - Enteroendocrine Cells

KW - Female

KW - Glucagon-Like Peptide 2

KW - Glucagon-Like Peptides

KW - Ileum

KW - Jejunum

KW - Models, Animal

KW - Peptides

KW - Rats

KW - Rats, Wistar

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 11281189

SN - 0163-2116

VL - 46

SP - 379

EP - 388

JO - Digestive Diseases and Sciences

JF - Digestive Diseases and Sciences

IS - 2

ER -