Intestinal growth-promoting properties of glucagon-like peptide-2 in mice

• DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.1997.273.1.e77
• Publication Date: 2017-12-22T06:34:23Z
• Authors: C. H. Tsai; M. Hill; S. L. Asa; P. L. Brubaker; D. J. Drucker
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; Aging; Sex Characteristics; Cell Death; Colon; Glucagon-Like Peptides; Feeding Behavior; Organ Size; Gastrointestinal Hormones; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Jejunum; Ileum; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; Animals; Female; Intestinal Mucosa; Peptides; Biomarkers; Cell Division

Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) has been shown to promote intestinal epithelial proliferation. We studied crypt cell proliferation, enterocyte cell death, and feeding behavior 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 (control) vs. GLP-2-treated mice, P = not significant]; however, GLP-2 increased the crypt cell proliferation rate (46.0 +/- 1 vs. 57 +/- 5%, control vs. GLP-2, P < 0.01) and decreased the enterocyte apoptotic rate (5.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.2% apoptotic cells, control vs. GLP-2, P < 0.05) in small bowel (SB) epithelium. GLP-2 induced a significant increase in SB weight (1.3- to 1.75-fold increase over control, P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) in mice 1-24 mo of age. Increased SB weight was maintained after daily administration of GLP-2 to mice for 12 wk, 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.