Gastrointestinal transit in relation to gut endocrine cells in animal models of human diabetes

Gastrointestinal transit was measured in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, as an animal model of human diabetes type 1, and in obese diabetic mice, as an animal model of human diabetes type 2. The endocrine cells known to correlate to gastrointestinal transit, namely secretin, serotonin, Peptide YY (PYY) and enteroglucagon cells, were identified by immunocytochemistry and quantified by computer image analysis in different segments of the gut. Gastrointestinal transit was significantly accelerated in NOD mice and slower in obese diabetic mice than in controls. The density of duodenal secretin and serotonin as well as colonic PYY and enteroglucagon cells in NOD mice was significantly higher than that of control mice. On the other hand, the density of duodenal secretin and serotonin cells was significantly lower in obese diabetic mice than in controls. It was concluded that changes in duodenal secretin and colonic serotonin, PYY and enteroglucagon cells may play a role in accelerated gastrointestinal transit in NOD mice and delayed gastrointestinal transit in obese diabetic mice.