glucagon-like-peptide-2 and Gastrointestinal-Stromal-Tumors

Peptide hormones of the glucagon-like peptide (GLP) family play an increasing clinical role, as reported for GLP-1 in diabetes therapy and insulinoma diagnostics. GLP-2, despite its known trophic and anti-inflammatory intestinal actions translated into preliminary clinical studies using the GLP-2 analogue teduglutide for treatment of short bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease, remains poorly characterized in terms of expression of its receptor in tissues of interest. Therefore, the GLP-2 receptor expression was assessed in 237 tumor and 148 non-neoplastic tissue samples with in vitro receptor autoradiography. A GLP-2 receptor expression was present in 68% of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Furthermore, GLP-2 receptors were identified in the intestinal myenteric plexus, with significant up-regulation in active Crohn's disease. The GLP-2 receptors in GIST may be used for clinical applications like in vivo targeting with radiolabelled GLP-2 analogues for imaging and therapy. Moreover, the over-expressed GLP-2 receptor in the myenteric plexus may represent the morphological correlate of the clinical target of teduglutide in Crohn's disease.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Autoradiography; Crohn Disease; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors; Gene Expression; Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; Glucagon-Like Peptide-2 Receptor; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Intestines; Middle Aged; Myenteric Plexus; Receptors, Glucagon; Up-Regulation