The role of peptide YY in gastrointestinal diseases and disorders

Abstract

Peptide YY (PYY) is affected in several gastrointestinal diseases and disorders. Changes in PYY appear to be an adaptive response to alterations in pathophysiological conditions caused by the disease. This applies to gastrointestinal diseases/disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, systemic sclerosis, and post-intestinal resection. By contrast, the changes in PYY in chronic idiopathic slow transit constipation (CST) seem to be of a primary nature, and may be one etiological factor of the disease. Abnormalities in PYY seem to contribute to the development of symptoms present in irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroenteropathy in long-standing diabetes and CST. The changes in PYY could, however, be favorable in some gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease, systemic sclerosis and post-intestinal resection state. Investigating changes in PYY in gastrointestinal diseases/disorders could be beneficial in clinical practice, where a receptor agonist or an antagonist can be used as a drug, depending on the condition. Similar to other neuroendocrine peptides/amines of the gut, PYY has broad physiological/pharmacological effects: it can bind to and activate several receptors with independent actions. Thus, in order to use PYY as a drug, receptor-specific agonists or antagonists need to be developed.

The role of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) family in the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

“…It is believed that an improved understanding of the role of the gut neuroendocrine peptides/amines in IBD will lead to the application of agonists or antagonists to these peptides/amines that represent a potentially significant therapeutic opportunity in IBD. The role of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) family in IBD has been discussed previously (El-Salhy et al 2013b;El-Salhy et al 2002;Vona-Davis and McFadden 2007;Wheway et al 2007aWheway et al , 2007bWheway et al 2005). The present review summarizes the available data on the NPY family in IBD and speculates on its role in the pathophysiology of this disease.…”

Jejunal overexpression of peptide YY in celiac disease complicated with pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis

“…Despite the increased level of PYY produced in distal ileum may be caused by CD [8][9][10], the same cause and effect relationship has never been described when the overexpression of peptide is into the jejunum. Moreover, the mechanisms that should be underpin the PCI-induced by overexpression of PYY remain to be verified.…”

“…PYY is regarded as one of the major anorexigenic gastrointestinal neuroendocrine peptides, binding to Y2 receptors on neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus [8]; moreover, it has been not univocally correlated with the ileal brake [20].…”

“…It is an anorectic neurohormonal factor that plays a key role in the regulation of energy homoeostasis, gastrointestinal motility and water/electrolytes absorption [7,8]. Previous studies demonstrated abnormal cellular density and plasma levels of PYY in patients with CD who were not on gluten-free diet (GFD); the PYY expression probably represented a response to diarrhoea and produced a slowdown of the jejunal and colic motility [8][9][10]. Here, we show a patient with CD who, despite a GFD, was chronically suffering of inappetence, severe weight loss, recurrent diarrhoea and abdominal pain.…”

Changes in enteroendocrine and immune cells following colitis induction by TNBS in rats

“…The association between the neuroendocrine peptides/amines in the gut and the immune system has been previously investigated, and it was suggested that interactions between gut hormones and immune cells may serve a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of IBD (8,10,11,21–29). …”