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American Physiological Society, American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 10(304), p. G897-G907, 2013

DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00160.2012

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Mice lacking the intestinal peptide transporter display reduced energy intake and a subtle maldigestion/malabsorption that protects them from diet-induced obesity

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

The intestinal transporter PEPT1 mediates the absorption of di- and tripeptides originating from breakdown of dietary proteins. Whereas mice lacking PEPT1 did not display any obvious changes in phenotype on a high-carbohydrate control diet (HCD), Pept1−/− mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) showed a markedly reduced weight gain and reduced body fat stores. They were additionally protected from hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Energy balance studies revealed that Pept1−/− mice on HFD have a reduced caloric intake, no changes in energy expenditure, but increased energy content in feces. Cecal biomass in Pept1−/− mice was as well increased twofold on both diets, suggesting a limited capacity in digesting and/or absorbing the dietary constituents in the small intestine. GC-MS-based metabolite profiling of cecal contents revealed high levels and a broad spectrum of sugars in PEPT1-deficient mice on HCD, whereas animals fed HFD were characterized by high levels of free fatty acids and absence of sugars. In search of the origin of the impaired digestion/absorption, we observed that Pept1−/− mice lack the adaptation of the upper small intestinal mucosa to the trophic effects of the diet. Whereas wild-type mice on HFD adapt to diet with increased villus length and surface area, Pept1−/− mice failed to show this response. In search for the origin of this, we recorded markedly reduced systemic IL-6 levels in all Pept1−/− mice, suggesting that IL-6 could contribute to the lack of adaptation of the mucosal architecture to the diets.