Enteroendocrine cell types that drive food reward and aversion

Abstract

Animals must learn through experience which foods are nutritious and should be consumed, and which are toxic and should be avoided. Enteroendocrine cells (EECs) are the principal chemosensors in the GI tract, but investigation of their role in behavior has been limited by the difficulty of selectively targeting these cells in vivo. Here we describe an intersectional genetic approach for manipulating EEC subtypes in behaving mice. We show that multiple EEC subtypes inhibit food intake but have different effects on learning. Conditioned flavor preference is driven by release of cholecystokinin whereas conditioned taste aversion is mediated by serotonin and substance P. These positive and negative valence signals are transmitted by vagal and spinal afferents, respectively. These findings establish a cellular basis for how chemosensing in the gut drives learning about food.

Nutrient-Based Appetite Regulation

“… 65 As such, fast signal conductivity is critical within the GBA, which is why enteroendocrine cells in the gut are now known as neuropod cells. 66 , 67 Therefore, the GBA not only relies on adequate gut hormonal release to regulate appetite, but also in the sensing of nutrients and subsequent signaling to the VN afferent fibers.…”