Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Slo1

Title: Bacterial metabolite indole modulates incretin secretion from intestinal enteroendocrine L cells.

Authors: Catalin Chimerel, Edward Emery, David K Summers, Ulrich Keyser, Fiona M Gribble, Frank Reimann

Journal, date & volume: Cell Rep, 2014 Nov 20 , 9, 1202-8

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25456122

Abstract
It has long been speculated that metabolites, produced by gut microbiota, influence host metabolism in health and diseases. Here, we reveal that indole, a metabolite produced from the dissimilation of tryptophan, is able to modulate the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) from immortalized and primary mouse colonic L cells. Indole increased GLP-1 release during short exposures, but it reduced secretion over longer periods. These effects were attributed to the ability of indole to affect two key molecular mechanisms in L cells. On the one hand, indole inhibited voltage-gated K(+) channels, increased the temporal width of action potentials fired by L cells, and led to enhanced Ca(2+) entry, thereby acutely stimulating GLP-1 secretion. On the other hand, indole slowed ATP production by blocking NADH dehydrogenase, thus leading to a prolonged reduction of GLP-1 secretion. Our results identify indole as a signaling molecule by which gut microbiota communicate with L cells and influence host metabolism.