Possible role of PEPT1 in gastrointestinal hormone secretion

Oligopeptides originating from ingested meal stimulate the secretion of various gastrointestinal hormones, but the mechanism is unknown. In this study, we show that transfection of oligopeptide transporter 1 (PEPT1) in STC-1 cells, a murine enteroendocrine cell line, evokes di-peptide-stimulated hormone secretion in a pH-dependent manner. Measurement of membrane potentials shows that PEPT1- transfected STC-1 cells are depolarized by di-peptide glycyl-glycine but not by glycine monomer. Glycyl-glycine stimulation induces a rise in the intracellular calcium concentration in PEPT1-transfected STC-1 cells. The secretion induced by glycyl-glycine in PEPT1-transfected STC-1 cells was blocked by nifedipine, a Ca2+ channel blocker, suggesting that the secretion is triggered by Ca2+ influx through L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. These data suggest that PEPT1 mediates oligopeptide-induced hormone secretion in enteroendocrine cells.