Cover Story Current Issue
Glucose is a ubiquitous and essential source of energy for all living organisms. Although mammals have evolved ways to convert other nutritional molecules to ATP, the preference for dietary glucose appears to be preserved. In rodents, the immediate detection of ingested glucose potently reinforces intake, hierarchically organizing behaviors towards glucose-yielding substances, and away from other types of food including other sugars. Taste is the primary sense linked to nutrient selection. Until recently, it was thought that most mammalian species utilize a single broadly tuned receptor to detect all simple sugars. Indeed, this “sweet” receptor, which comprises a heterodimer of the T1R2 and T1R3 proteins, binds multiple natural sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose), as well as various other chemicals that yield little to no energy (e.g., low calorie sweeteners, sugar alcohols) and some d-amino acids. The neural signal originating from the sweet receptor is hardwired into brain circuits that drive eating and drinking behaviors, but it is an unreliable indicator of nutrient quality and quantity.
Current Issue
Loss of GLP-2R signaling in Glp2r−/− mice increases the long-term severity of graft versus host disease
Loss of GLP-2R signaling in Glp2r−/− mice increases the long-term severity of graft versus host disease
Background
Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) reduces systemic and gut inflammation while preserving mucosal integrity. Preclinical and clinical reports implicate GLP-2 receptor (GLP-2R) agonism as a potential therapy for graft vs. host disease (GvHD).
Methods
Here we assessed whether enhanced vs. loss of GLP-2R signaling modifies gut injury and inflammation in experimental murine acute GvHD (aGvHD). Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) was performed using bone marrow and splenocytes from BALB/cJ donor mice to induce aGvHD in C57BL/6J recipients. Chimerism was determined by flow cytometry of immune cell compartments. Inflammation was assessed by measuring circulating cytokines and histological scoring of gut mucosal damage. GLP-2 responsivity was assessed using histology and gene expression analyses. The gut microbiome was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing.
Results
Allogeneic chimerism was >90% in peripheral blood and in the gut epithelial compartment. Gut GLP-2R signaling was preserved following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Surprisingly, GLP-2R agonism using teduglutide did not reduce circulating cytokines, gut injury, immune cell infiltration or the severity of aGvHD. In contrast, transplant recipient Glp2r−/− mice exhibited reduced survival, associated with increased bacteremia. Shifts in microbial species abundance with gain or loss of GLP-2R signaling were not correlated with aGvHD clinical outcomes.
Conclusions
Activation of GLP-2R signaling did not reduce the severity of experimental aGvHD, failing to replicate a previous study using an identical aGvHD protocol. Nevertheless, loss of GLP-2R signaling in transplant recipients decreased survival and increased bacteremia, implicating an essential role for endogenous GLP-2R signaling in maintaining barrier function in the context of immune-mediated gut epithelial injury.
Articles in Press
Loss of GLP-2R signaling in Glp2r−/− mice increases the long-term severity of graft versus host disease
Loss of GLP-2R signaling in Glp2r−/− mice increases the long-term severity of graft versus host disease
Background
Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) reduces systemic and gut inflammation while preserving mucosal integrity. Preclinical and clinical reports implicate GLP-2 receptor (GLP-2R) agonism as a potential therapy for graft vs. host disease (GvHD).
Methods
Here we assessed whether enhanced vs. loss of GLP-2R signaling modifies gut injury and inflammation in experimental murine acute GvHD (aGvHD). Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) was performed using bone marrow and splenocytes from BALB/cJ donor mice to induce aGvHD in C57BL/6J recipients. Chimerism was determined by flow cytometry of immune cell compartments. Inflammation was assessed by measuring circulating cytokines and histological scoring of gut mucosal damage. GLP-2 responsivity was assessed using histology and gene expression analyses. The gut microbiome was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing.
Results
Allogeneic chimerism was >90% in peripheral blood and in the gut epithelial compartment. Gut GLP-2R signaling was preserved following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Surprisingly, GLP-2R agonism using teduglutide did not reduce circulating cytokines, gut injury, immune cell infiltration or the severity of aGvHD. In contrast, transplant recipient Glp2r−/− mice exhibited reduced survival, associated with increased bacteremia. Shifts in microbial species abundance with gain or loss of GLP-2R signaling were not correlated with aGvHD clinical outcomes.
Conclusions
Activation of GLP-2R signaling did not reduce the severity of experimental aGvHD, failing to replicate a previous study using an identical aGvHD protocol. Nevertheless, loss of GLP-2R signaling in transplant recipients decreased survival and increased bacteremia, implicating an essential role for endogenous GLP-2R signaling in maintaining barrier function in the context of immune-mediated gut epithelial injury.
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13th
Helmholtz Diabetes Conference
Munich, 21-23. Sep 2026
2024 impact factor: 6.6
You are what you eat
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