12
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
0 collections
    0
    shares
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: not found
      • Article: not found

      Serotonin signalling in the gut—functions, dysfunctions and therapeutic targets

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisherPMC
      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Serotonin (5-HT) has been recognized for decades as an important signalling molecule in the gut, but it is still revealing its secrets. Novel gastrointestinal functions of 5-HT continue to be discovered, as well as distant actions of gut-derived 5-HT, and we are learning how 5-HT signalling is altered in gastrointestinal disorders. Conventional functions of 5-HT involving intrinsic reflexes include stimulation of propulsive and segmentation motility patterns, epithelial secretion and vasodilation. Activation of extrinsic vagal and spinal afferent fibres results in slowed gastric emptying, pancreatic secretion, satiation, pain and discomfort, as well as nausea and vomiting. Within the gut, 5-HT also exerts nonconventional actions such as promoting inflammation and serving as a trophic factor to promote the development and maintenance of neurons and interstitial cells of Cajal. Platelet 5-HT, originating in the gut, promotes haemostasis, influences bone development and serves many other functions. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and 5-HT4 receptor agonists have been used to treat functional disorders with diarrhoea or constipation, respectively, and the synthetic enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase has also been targeted. Emerging evidence suggests that exploiting epithelial targets with nonabsorbable serotonergic agents could provide safe and effective therapies. We provide an overview of these serotonergic actions and treatment strategies.

          Related collections

          Author and article information

          Journal
          Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology
          Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol
          Springer Science and Business Media LLC
          1759-5045
          1759-5053
          August 2013
          June 25 2013
          August 2013
          : 10
          : 8
          : 473-486
          Article
          10.1038/nrgastro.2013.105
          4048923
          23797870
          28524c98-dfa9-47b6-ac78-0780c8e1d65d
          © 2013

          http://www.springer.com/tdm

          http://www.springer.com/tdm

          History

          Comments

          Comment on this article