Ontogeny of the glucagon-like peptide-2 receptor axis in the developing rat intestine

Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is secreted by enteroendocrine cells in the small and large intestines and exerts intestinotropic effects in the gastr ointestinal mucosal epithelium of the adult rodent. The actions of GLP-2 ar e mediated by the GLP-2 receptor, a new member of the G protein-coupled rec eptor superfamily. To ascertain whether the GLP-2/GLP-2 receptor axis is ex pressed and functional in the developing intestine, we have studied the syn thesis of GLP-2 and the expression of the GLP-2 receptor (GLP-2R) in the fe tal and neonatal rat gut. GLP-2 immunoreactivity (GLP-2-IR) was detected in the fetal rat intestine, and fetal rat intestinal cell cultures secreted c orrectly processed GLP-2(1-33) into the medium. High levels of GLP-2(1-33) were also detected in the circulation of 13-day-old neonatal rats (P < 0.00 1 us. adult). Analysis of GLP-2 receptor expression by RT-PCR demonstrated GLP-2R messenger RNA transcripts in fetal intestine and in neonatal stomach ,jejunum, ileum, and colon. The levels of GLP-2R messenger RNA transcripts were comparatively higher in the fetal and neonatal intestine LP ( 0.05-001 us. adult) and declined to adult levels by postnatal day 21. Subcutaneous administration of a degradation-resistant GLP-2 analog, h[Gly2]-GLP-2 once daily for 10 days increased stomach (0.009 +/- 0.0003 us. 0.007 +/- 0.002 g /g body mass, h[Gly2]-GLP-2-treated vs. controls; P < 0.05) and small bowel weight (0.043 +/- 0.0037 vs. 0.031 +/- 0.0030 gig body mass; P < 0.05). h[ Gly2]-GLP-2 also increased both small (2.4 +/- 0.05 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.17 cm/g b ody mass; P < 0.05) and large bowel length (0.32 +/- 0.01 us. 0.25 +/- 0.02 cm/g body mass, h [Gly2] -GLP-2-treated vs. saline-treated controls, respe ctively; P ( 0.05) in neonatal rats. These findings demonstrate that both c omponents of the GLP-2/GLP-2 receptor axis are expressed in the fetal and n eonatal intestine. The ontogenic regulation and functional integrity of thi s axis raises the possibility that GLP-2 may play a role in the development and/or maturation of the developing rat intestine.