A Transcriptome-Led Exploration of Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Somatostatin-Producing D-Cells in the Gastric Epithelium

Endocrinology. 2015 Nov;156(11):3924-36. doi: 10.1210/en.2015-1301. Epub 2015 Aug 4.

Abstract

The stomach epithelium contains a myriad of enteroendocrine cells that modulate a range of physiological functions, including postprandial secretion of regulatory peptides, gastric motility, and nutrient absorption. Somatostatin (SST)-producing D-cells are present in the oxyntic and pyloric regions of the stomach, and provide a tonic inhibitory tone that regulates activity of neighboring enteroendocrine cells and gastric acid secretion. Cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of regulatory factors on gastric D-cells are poorly defined due to problems in identifying primary D-cells, and uncertainty remains about which stimuli influence D-cells directly. In this study, we introduce a transgenic mouse line, SST-Cre, which upon crossing with Cre reporter strains, facilitates the identification and purification of gastric D-cells, or cell-specific expression of genetically encoded calcium indicators. Populations of D-cells from the gastric antrum and corpus were isolated and analyzed by RNA sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of hormones, hormone receptors, neurotransmitter receptors, and nutrient receptors was quantified. Pyy, Gipr, Chrm4, Calcrl, Taar1, and Casr were identified as genes that are highly enriched in D-cells compared with SST-negative cells. Hormone secretion assays performed in mixed gastric epithelial cultures confirmed that SST secretion is regulated by incretin hormones, cholecystokinin, acetylcholine, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, calcitonin gene-related polypeptide, oligopetides, and trace amines. Cholecystokinin and oligopeptides elicited increases in intracellular calcium in single-cell imaging experiments performed using cultured D-cells. Our data provide the first transcriptomic analysis and functional characterization of gastric D-cells, and identify regulatory pathways that underlie the direct detection of stimuli by this cell type.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gastric Mucosa / cytology
  • Gastric Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Hormones / genetics
  • Hormones / metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / classification
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / classification
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA / methods
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods
  • Somatostatin / genetics*
  • Somatostatin / metabolism
  • Somatostatin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Stomach / cytology
  • Transcriptome*

Substances

  • Hormones
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Somatostatin
  • Calcium