Endocrine Abstracts

The regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion has traditionally been attributed to the gut-brain axis and direct sensing of blood glucose levels by pancreatic islets. However, the enteric nervous system may directly modulate pancreatic hormone release. This study focuses on a specific population of enteric neurons that exhibit the capability to transmit signals from the gut to the pancreas, potentially revealing new pathways of metabolic regulation. The gastrointestinal tra...

Neurotensin is expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract and acts as a gut hormone. Recent work has established neurotensin modulates lipid absorption at the gastrointestinal lumen, but its role in the control of glucose homeostasis remains unclear. Neurotensin acts via three receptors, including the NtsR1 and is endogenously released following the ingestion of olive oil. Previous work in our group has identified that neurotensin acutely improves glucose tolerance in bot...