The loss of P2X7 receptor expression leads to increase intestinal glucose transit and hepatic steatosis

• Published in: Scientific reports 2017-10, Vol.7 (1), p.12917-16, Article 12917
• Main Authors: Arguin, Guillaume, Bourzac, Jean-François, Placet, Morgane, Molle, Caroline M., Paquette, Michel, Beaudoin, Jean-François, Rousseau, Jacques A., Lecomte, Roger, Plourde, Mélanie, Gendron, Fernand-Pierre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 13/51; 14; 45/77; 59/78; 631/443/319/1642; 631/80/304; 64/110; Absorption, Physiological; Animals; Biological Transport; Blood glucose; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - metabolism; Down-Regulation - genetics; Dyslipidemias - complications; Dyslipidemias - pathology; Enterocytes; Enterocytes - metabolism; Epithelial cells; Fatty liver; Fatty Liver - metabolism; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - metabolism; Gene expression; Glucose; Glucose - metabolism; Glucose tolerance; Glucose transport; Glucose transporter; Glucose Transporter Type 2 - metabolism; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hyperglycemia - complications; Hyperglycemia - pathology; Immunohistochemistry; Insulin; Insulin - metabolism; Insulin Resistance; Internalization; Intestine; Intestines - chemistry; Intolerance; Jejunum; Jejunum - metabolism; Lipid Metabolism - genetics; Liver; Male; Metabolic disorders; Mice; multidisciplinary; Positron emission tomography; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 - deficiency; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 - genetics; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 - metabolism; Rodents; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Steatosis; Tissue Distribution; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - metabolism; Weight Gain
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13300-8

In intestinal epithelial cells (IEC), it was reported that the activation of the P2X7 receptor leads to the internalization of the glucose transporter GLUT2, which is accompanied by a reduction of IEC capacity to transport glucose. In this study, we used P2rx7 −/− mice to decipher P2X7 functions in intestinal glucose transport and to evaluate the impacts on metabolism. Immunohistochemistry analyses revealed the presence of GLUT2 at the apical domain of P2rx7 −/− jejunum enterocytes. Positron emission tomography and biodistribution studies demonstrated that glucose was more efficiently delivered to the circulation of knockout animals. These findings correlated with increase blood glucose, insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol levels. In fact, P2rx7 −/− mice had increased serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels and displayed glucose intolerance and resistance to insulin. Finally, P2rx7 −/− mice developed a hepatic steatosis characterized by a reduction of Acaca , Acacb , Fasn and Acox1 mRNA expression, as well as for ACC and FAS protein expression. Our study suggests that P2X7 could play a central role in metabolic diseases.