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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

In vitro Functional Characterization of Mouse Colorectal Afferent Endings
Published on: January 21, 2015
Colitis induced by proteinase-activated receptor-2 agonists is mediated by a neurogenic mechanism
Cathy Nguyen1, Anne-Marie Coelho, Eileen Grady
1Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
Abstract:
Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) activation induces colonic inflammation by an unknown mechanism. We hypothesized that PAR2 agonists administered intracolonically in mice induce inflammation via a neurogenic mechanism. Pretreatment of mice with neurokinin-1 and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists or with capsaicin showed attenuated PAR2-agonist-induced colitis. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a differential expression of a marker for the type-1 CGRP receptor during the time course of PAR2-agonist-induced colitis, further suggesting a role for CGRP. We conclude that PAR2-agonist-induced intestinal inflammation involves the release of neuropeptides, which by acting on their receptors cause inflammation. These results implicate PAR2 as an important mediator of intestinal neurogenic inflammation.
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