Tissue levels and post-prandial secretion of the intestinal growth factor, glucagon-like peptide-2, in controls and inflammatory bowel disease: comparison with peptide YY

Background and aim Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) and peptide YY (PYY) are produced in endocrine L-cells of the intestine and secreted in response to food intake. GLP-2 has a trophic effect on the intestinal epithelium, whereas PYY has pro-absorptive effects. It can be speculated that, in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the production and secretion of GLP-2 and PYY could be affected as a part of a regulatory mechanism. Therefore, tissue levels and meal-stimulated secretion of GLP-2 and PYY were studied in IBD patients and compared to controls. Methods Outpatients with IBD and control patients were included. Mucosal biopsies were taken from the ileum and colon and the content of GLP-2 and PYY was measured. After colonoscopy the patients took a mixed meal and plasma was collected for 90 min for plasma measurements of GLP-2 and PYY. Results Tissue levels of GLP-2 in control patients were highest in the terminal ileum (407±82 pmol/g tissue, n=10), whereas PYY was highest in the rectum (919±249 pmol/g tissue, n=10). In IBD patients with acute inflammation, the content of GLP-2 was similar to controls, whereas PYY was decreased to 72.1±17.7% (P=0.03, n=13) of control values. Neither the fasting plasma levels nor the meal responses of GLP-2 and PYY differed between controls and IBD patients. Conclusion The similar responses of GLP-2 and PYY in patients and controls do not support the suggestion that L-cell secretion is altered in IBD. The decreased tissue PYY concentrations may contribute to the diarrhoea of some of these patients.