1: Br. J. Nutr. 2007 Jul;98(1):32-7. Epub 2007 Mar 19.

Dietary non-digestible carbohydrates promote L-cell differentiation in the
proximal colon of rats.

Cani PD, Hoste S, Guiot Y, Delzenne NM.

Unit of Pharmacokinetics, Metabolism, Nutrition and Toxicology, PMNT 73/69,
Université catholique de Louvain, Av. E. Mounier, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.

One of the challenges in type 2 diabetes treatment is to ensure pancreas
functionality with gut peptides such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). We have
recently shown that the endogenous GLP-1 production is promoted by dietary
non-digestible carbohydrates (oligofructose), the higher GLP-1 secretion could
participate in the control of obesity and associated disorders. This experimental
study was designed to highlight the mechanisms of endogenous increase of GLP-1
following non-digestible carbohydrate feeding. Male Wistar rats were fed a
standard diet (70.4 g/100 g total carbohydrates; controls) or the same diet
supplemented with oligofructose (10 g/100 g diet) for 4 weeks. GLP-1-producing
L-cells of the colon were quantified by immunohistochemistry. GLP-1 was
quantified by ELISA, and proglucagon, neurogenin 3 and NeuroD mRNA were measured
in the colon by quantitative RT-PCR. The number of GLP-1-expressing cells was
doubled in the proximal colon of oligofructose-treated rats, a phenomenon
correlated with the increase in proglucagon mRNA and peptide content in the
tissue. Moreover, oligofructose increased the number of enteroendocrine L-cells
in the proximal colon by a mechanism involving up-regulation of two
differentiation factors: neurogenin 3 and NeuroD. It is the first demonstration
that nutrients fermented in the gut may promote L-cell differentiation in the
proximal colon, a phenomenon contributing to a higher endogenous GLP-1
production. These results suggest a new mechanism by which dietary fibres may
lower food intake and fat mass development.

PMID: 17367575 [Pubmed - in process]

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