Health and Rehabilitation College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, The Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China.
Biomolecules. 2024 Jul 7;14(7):804. doi: 10.3390/biom14070804.
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is an organ actively involved in mechanical processes, where it detects forces via a mechanosensation mechanism. Mechanosensation relies on specialized cells termed mechanoreceptors, which convert mechanical forces into electrochemical signals via mechanosensors. The mechanosensitive Piezo1 and Piezo2 are widely expressed in various mechanosensitive cells that respond to GI mechanical forces by altering transmembrane ionic currents, such as epithelial cells, enterochromaffin cells, and intrinsic and extrinsic enteric neurons. This review highlights recent research advances on mechanosensitive Piezo channels in GI physiology and pathology. Specifically, the latest insights on the role of Piezo channels in the intestinal barrier, GI motility, and intestinal mechanosensation are summarized. Additionally, an overview of Piezo channels in the pathogenesis of GI disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and GI cancers, is provided. Overall, the presence of mechanosensitive Piezo channels offers a promising new perspective for the treatment of various GI disorders.
胃肠道（GI）是一个积极参与机械过程的器官，通过机械感觉机制来检测力。机械感觉依赖于专门的细胞，称为机械感受器，通过机械传感器将机械力转化为电化学信号。机械敏感的 Piezo1 和 Piezo2 在各种机械敏感细胞中广泛表达，这些细胞通过改变跨膜离子电流来响应胃肠道的机械力，如上皮细胞、肠嗜铬细胞、内在和外在肠神经元。本综述强调了胃肠道生理学和病理学中机械敏感 Piezo 通道的最新研究进展。具体来说，总结了 Piezo 通道在肠道屏障、胃肠道动力和肠道机械感觉中的作用的最新见解。此外，还概述了 Piezo 通道在胃肠道疾病发病机制中的作用，包括肠易激综合征、炎症性肠病和胃肠道癌症。总的来说，机械敏感的 Piezo 通道的存在为治疗各种胃肠道疾病提供了一个有前途的新视角。
