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Small intestinal protein sensing pathways regulate food intake and glucose homeostasis

Calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) and peptide transporter 1 (PepT1) have been implicated in protein sensing in the gut, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. We find that, in the small intestine, CasR and PepT1 are necessary for protein sensing to regulate gut peptide release, feeding and glucose tolerance in rats in vivo.

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Fig. 1: Metabolic role of small intestinal CaSR.

References

  1. Duca, F. A. et al. The metabolic impact of small intestinal nutrient sensing. Nat. Commun. 12, 903 (2021). A review that highlights the impact of small intestinal nutrient sensing mechanisms on gut peptide, feeding and glucose regulation.

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  2. Diakogiannaki, E. et al. Oligopeptides stimulate glucagon-like peptide 1 secretion in mice through proton-coupled uptake and the calcium-sensing receptor. Diabetologia 56, 2688–2696 (2013). This paper reports that PepT1 and CaSR mediate protein sensing to increase glucagon-like peptide 1 secretion.

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This is a summary of: Li, R. J. W. et al. Small intestinal CaSR-dependent and CaSR-independent protein sensing regulates feeding and glucose tolerance in rats. Nat. Metab. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-023-00942-4 (2024).

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Small intestinal protein sensing pathways regulate food intake and glucose homeostasis. Nat Metab 6, 14–15 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-023-00947-z

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