Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications
Language
English
Publication Date
8-3-2023
Journal
Cell
DOI
10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.006
PMID
37541196
PMCID
PMC10501318
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
8-3-2023
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract is in a state of constant motion. These movements are tightly regulated by the presence of food and help digestion by mechanically breaking down and propelling gut content. Mechanical sensing in the gut is thought to be essential for regulating motility; however, the identity of the neuronal populations, the molecules involved, and the functional consequences of this sensation are unknown. Here, we show that humans lacking PIEZO2 exhibit impaired bowel sensation and motility. Piezo2 in mouse dorsal root, but not nodose ganglia is required to sense gut content, and this activity slows down food transit rates in the stomach, small intestine, and colon. Indeed, Piezo2 is directly required to detect colon distension in vivo. Our study unveils the mechanosensory mechanisms that regulate the transit of luminal contents throughout the gut, which is a critical process to ensure proper digestion, nutrient absorption, and waste removal.
Keywords
Animals, Humans, Mice, Digestion, Gastrointestinal Transit, Ion Channels, Mechanotransduction, Cellular, Neurons, PIEZO2 deficiency, Piezo2, dorsal root ganglia, gastrointestinal tract, gut motility, gut transit, interoception, mechanosensation, sensory neurons, spinal innervation
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Servin-Vences, M Rocio; Lam, Ruby M; Koolen, Alize; et al., "PIEZO2 in Somatosensory Neurons Controls Gastrointestinal Transit" (2023). Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications. 92.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/duncar_nri_pub/92
Included in
Genetic Phenomena Commons, Medical Genetics Commons, Neurology Commons, Neurosciences Commons