Gastrointestinal hormones and their targets

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Endocrinology
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• The gastrointestinal tract is a major endocrine organ, expressing over 30 hormone genes.
• Gastrointestinal hormones are peptides synthesized and released by endocrine cells and neurons within the digestive system.
• These hormones play crucial roles in regulating various physiological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of gastrointestinal hormones.
• To explore the diversity of gut hormone production and function.
• To highlight the widespread expression and multifaceted roles of gut hormones.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on gastrointestinal hormone gene expression and peptide processing.
• Classification of gut hormones based on structural homology and ancestral genes.
• Analysis of differential peptide processing and secretion pathways.

Main Results:

• Over 30 gut hormone genes produce more than 100 distinct hormonally active peptides.
• Gut hormone genes exhibit widespread expression beyond the digestive tract.
• Cell-specific processing and differential secretion result in diverse peptide functions.

Conclusions:

• Gastrointestinal hormones exhibit remarkable diversity in structure, processing, and function.
• Gut hormones act through various mechanisms (endocrine, paracrine, autocrine, neurocrine, spermiocrine) and target G-protein coupled receptors.
• The functions of gut hormones extend beyond digestion, impacting numerous physiological systems.