Endothelin system in intestinal villi: A possible role of endothelin-2/vasoactive intestinal contractor in the maintenance of intestinal architecture

M Bianchi, J Adur, S Takizawa, K Saida… - … and biophysical research …, 2012 - Elsevier
M Bianchi, J Adur, S Takizawa, K Saida, VH Casco
Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2012Elsevier
The endothelin system consists of three ligands (ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3) and at least two
receptors (ETA and ETB). In mice ET-2 counterpart is a peptide originally called “vasoactive
intestinal contractor”(VIC) for this reason, this peptide is frequently named ET-2/VIC. In
intestinal villi, fibroblasts-like cells express endothelin's receptors and response to ET-1 and
ET-3 peptides, changing their cellular shape. Several functions have been attributed to
these peptides in the “architecture” maintenance of intestinal villi acting over sub-epithelial …
The endothelin system consists of three ligands (ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3) and at least two receptors (ETA and ETB). In mice ET-2 counterpart is a peptide originally called “vasoactive intestinal contractor” (VIC) for this reason, this peptide is frequently named ET-2/VIC. In intestinal villi, fibroblasts-like cells express endothelin’s receptors and response to ET-1 and ET-3 peptides, changing their cellular shape. Several functions have been attributed to these peptides in the “architecture” maintenance of intestinal villi acting over sub-epithelial fibroblasts. Despite this, ET-2/VIC has not been analyzed in depth. In this work we show the intestine gene expression and immunolocalization of ET-1, ET-2 and the ETA and ETB receptors from duodenum to rectus and in the villus–crypt axis in mice, allowing a complete analysis of their functions. While ET-1 is expressed uniformly, ET-2 had a particular distribution, being higher at the bottom of the villi of duodenum, ileum and jejunum and reverting this pattern in the crypts of colon and rectus, where the higher expression was at the top. We postulated that ET-2 would act in a cooperative manner with ET-1, giving to the villus the straight enough to withstand mechanical stress.
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