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Updated: May 6, 2026

Mechanisms Underlying Gut Hormone Secretion Using the Isolated Perfused Rat Small Intestine
Published on: February 26, 2019
Physiology and pharmacology of the enteroendocrine hormone glucagon-like peptide-2
Daniel J Drucker1, Bernardo Yusta
1Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X5; email: d.drucker@utoronto.ca , b.yusta@utoronto.ca.
Abstract:
Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is a 33-amino-acid proglucagon-derived peptide secreted from enteroendocrine L cells. GLP-2 circulates at low basal levels in the fasting period, and plasma levels rise rapidly after food ingestion. Renal clearance and enzymatic inactivation control the elimination of bioactive GLP-2. GLP-2 increases mesenteric blood flow and activates proabsorptive pathways in the gut, facilitating nutrient absorption. GLP-2 also enhances gut barrier function and induces proliferative and cytoprotective pathways in the small bowel. The actions of GLP-2 are transduced via a single G protein-coupled receptor (GLP-2R), expressed predominantly within the gastrointestinal tract. Disruption of GLP-2R signaling increases susceptibility to gut injury and impairs the adaptive mucosal response to refeeding. Sustained augmentation of GLP-2R signaling reduces the requirement for parenteral nutrition in human subjects with short-bowel syndrome. Hence GLP-2 integrates nutrient-derived signals to optimize mucosal integrity and energy absorption.
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