Intestinal growth-promoting properties of glucagon-like peptide 2
in mice.
Tsai, Anne, Mary Hill, Sylvia L. Asa, Patricia L. Brubaker, and Daniel
J. Drucker.
Departments of Medicine, Pathology, and Physiology, Banting and
Best Diabetes Centre, The Toronto Hospital, University of Toronto,
Ontario M5G 2C4
APStracts 4:0061E, 1997.
GLP-2 has been shown to promote intestinal epithelial proliferation.
We studied crypt cell proliferation, enterocyte cell death and
feeding behaviour in GLP-2-treated mice. GLP-2 had no effect on food
consumption (7.7 + 0.3 vs 8.0 + 0.4 g/day, saline (C) vs GLP-2
-treated mice, p= NS), however GLP-2 increased the crypt cell
proliferation rate (46.0 + 1. vs 57 + 5 %, C vs GLP-2,
p<0.01), and decreased the enterocyte apoptotic rate (5.9 +
0.7 vs 2.8 + 0.2 % apoptotic cells, C vs GLP-2, p<0.05) in SB
epithelium. GLP-2 induced a significant increase in small bowel (SB)
weight (1.3-1.75-fold increase over control, p<0.05
-p<0.001) in mice1-24 months of age. Increased SB weight was
maintained after daily administration of GLP-2 to mice for 12 weeks
and cessation of GLP-2 administration in older mice led to regression
of (increased) SB weight and mucosal height. These observations
suggest that GLP-2 regulates both cell proliferation and apoptosis
and promotes intestinal growth after both short and long term
administration in vivo.
Received 17 September 1996; accepted in final form 14 February
1997.
APS Manuscript Number E46-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Endocrinol. Metab.).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1997 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 12 March 1997