Pleiotropic effects of bombesin and neurotensin on intestinal mucosa： Not just trefoil peptides

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2008-06, Vol.14 (22), p.3602-3603
• Main Authors: Assimakopoulos, Stelios-F, Scopa, Chrisoula-D, Nikolopoulou, Vassiliki-N, Vagianos, Constantine-E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis - drug effects; Bombesin - pharmacology; Bombesin - therapeutic use; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Colitis - chemically induced; Colitis - drug therapy; Colitis - pathology; Disease Models, Animal; Intestinal Mucosa - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Letters To The Editor; Neurotensin - pharmacology; Neurotensin - therapeutic use; Neurotransmitter Agents - pharmacology; Neurotransmitter Agents - therapeutic use; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Rats; Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid; 多效性; 神经肽; 肠黏膜; 调整肽; 铃蟾肽
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.14.3602

Bombesin and neurotensin are neuropeptides which exert a wide spectrum of biological actions on gastrointestinal tissues influencing intestinal growth and adaptation, intestinal motility, blood flow, secretion, nutrient absorption and immune response. Based mainly on their well-established potent enterotrophic effect, numerous experimental studies investigated their potential positive effect on the atrophic or injured intestinal mucosa. These peptides proved to be effective mucosa-healing factors, but the potential molecular and cellular mechanisms for this action remained unresolved. In a recently published study （World J Gastroenterol 2008; 14（8）： 1222-1230）, it was shown that their protective effect on the intestine in experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease was related to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic actions. These results are in close agreement with our previous studies on jaundiced and hepatectomized rats that showed a regulatory effect of bombesin and neurotensin on critical cellular processes such as enterocyte＇ proliferation and death, oxidative stress and redox equilibrium, tight junctions＇ formation and function, and inflammatory response. The pleiotropic effects of bombesin and neurotensin on diverse types of intestinal injury may justify their consideration for clinical trials.