Calcium-sensing receptor regulates intestinal dipeptide absorption via Ca2+ signaling and IKCa activation

Although absorption of di- and tripeptides into intestinal epithelial cells occurs via the peptide transporter 1 (PEPT1, also called solute carrier family 15 member 1 (SLC15A1)), the detailed regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. We examined: (a) whether dipeptide absorption in villous enterocytes is associated with a rise in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+](cyt)), (b) whether the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) is involved in dipeptide-elicited [Ca2+](cyt) signaling, and (c) what potential consequences of [Ca2+](cyt) signaling may enhance enterocyte dipeptide absorption. Dipeptide Gly-Sar and CaSR agonist spermine markedly raised [Ca2+](cyt) in villous enterocytes, which was abolished by NPS-2143, a selective CaSR antagonist and U73122, an phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor. Apical application of Gly-Sar induced a jejunal short-circuit current (Isc), which was reduced by NPS-2143. CaSR expression was identified in the lamina propria and on the basal enterocyte membrane of mouse jejunal mucosa in both WT and Slc15a1(-/-) animals, but Gly-Sar-induced [Ca2+](cyt) signaling was significantly decreased in Slc15a1(-/-) villi. Clotrimazole and TRM-34, two selective blockers of the intermediate conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel (IKCa), but not iberiotoxin, a selective blocker of the large-conductance K+ channel (BKCa) and apamin, a selective blocker of the small-conductance K+ channel (SKCa), significantly inhibited Gly-Sar-induced Isc in native tissues. We reveal a novel CaSR-PLC-Ca2+-IKCa pathway in the regulation of small intestinal dipeptide absorption, which may be exploited as a target for future drug development in human nutritional disorders.