Uncoupling protein 2 involved in protection of glucagon-like peptide 2 in small intestine with ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

Glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) is an intestinal epithelium-specific growth factor. However, its protective effects and related mechanism on the small intestine injured by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in mice remain unclear. This study aimed to reveal the effects of GLP-2 and its functional relationship with uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) on the small intestine after I/R injury in mice. Male Balb/c mice were given GLP-2 (250 microg/kg/day, ip) for 3 days and underwent 30 min of superior mesenteric artery occlusion followed by 1 hr of reperfusion on day 4. Histological damage, bacterial translocation, diamine oxidase, and malondialdehyde level were assessed, and UCP2 expression was measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. GLP-2 attenuated the intestinal histological damage caused by I/R and increased the villous height by 28% and the crypt depth by 10%, respectively. Compared to the I/R group, diamine oxidase activity was increased, the incidence of bacterial translocation and malondialdehyde level were decreased, and UCP2 expression was increased in GLP-2-treated mice. GLP-2 protected the small intestine from I/R injury and increased UCP2 expression. These results suggested that effects of GLP-2 should be related to the upregulation of mitochondrial UCP2, which antagonized reactive oxygen species production.