How sensory neurons impact the gut Scripps Research scientists show that the receptor PIEZO2 in sensory neurons controls gut motility and transit time, which are important for digestion and nutrient absorption.
August 03, 2023
LA JOLLA, CA Gastrointestinal and digestive issues impact roughly 3 million people across the United States alone, and that number is growing. A new study from Scripps Research scientists shows how sensory neurons control our gastrointestinal tracts critical information that could shape our understanding of related diseases and disorders.
The study, published in the journal Cell on Aug. 3rd, 2023, used a combination of human clinical data and animal models to reveal that the receptor PIEZO2 controls gastrointestinal transit through the stomach, small intestine, and colon by sensing the presence of food and slowing the rate of gut motility accordingly. These findings could lead to therapeutic applications for a range of gastrointestinal conditions, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
PIEZO2 plays a crucial role in gastrointestinal physiology and is necessary for normal gut function, says senior author Ardem Patapoutian, PhD, professor in the Dorris Neuroscience Center at Scripps Research and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Patapoutian received the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology for discovering that PIEZO2 and a related receptor, PIEZO1, are necessary for the cells to respond to mechanical stimuli. Food and other ingested contents activate PIEZO2, which in turn dramatically slows gut transit.
Gut transit time the rate at which food moves through our gastrointestinal tracts is essential for digestion, nutrient absorption and waste removal. Optimal digestion requires an optimal transit time: too slow, and you end up with constipation; too fast, and you risk diarrhea. Up until now, there's been a limited understanding of how sensory pathways guide this process.
Patapoutian's team decided to investigate whether sensory input from the receptor PIEZO2 plays a role in gut motility. PIEZO2 proteins are activated by mechanical forces or pressure and are found throughout the body, though their role in gastrointestinal motility has not been previously explored. PIEZO2 receptors are also involved in sensing the degree of lung inflation or bladder filling, so it made sense that these receptors might also be able to detect distension of the gastrointestinal tract.
We wanted to understand the consequences of lacking this mechano-sensation and whether people without PIEZO2 have gastrointestinal problems, says M. Rocio Servin-Vences, PhD, the study's first author and a postdoctoral fellow in the Patapoutian lab at Scripps Research and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Humans are sometimes though rarely born without functional PIEZO2 genes, and studying these individuals provides a window into the protein's function. In collaboration with Alexander Chesler's team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the researchers assessed the gastrointestinal health and medical history of a cohort of 12 humans, ranging in age from 9 to 42, who carried non-functional variants of the PIEZO2 gene.
Compared to members of the general population, the PIEZO2-deficient individuals reported a range of gastrointestinal dysfunctions including lumpy and watery stools. Notably, six of the individuals reported that they could not sense bowel movements, and five reported using medications to relieve gastrointestinal distress.
The gastrointestinal dysfunction that these PIEZO2-deficient individuals described was striking, says Servin-Vences. It suggests that PIEZO2-deficient individuals have impaired sensation in bowel function that affects their quality of life, and also that the mechanosensitive channel PIEZO2 plays a crucial role in human gastrointestinal physiology and pathophysiology.
To explore the mechanism behind how PIEZO2 governs gut physiology, the researchers next turned to animal models. They found that when PIEZO2 was removed from sensory neurons, the mice had much faster gut transit times, more frequent defecation and their stools had a higher water content.
We were able to show that PIEZO2 is important for slowing down gastrointestinal transit, says Servin-Vences. When mice do not have PIEZO2 in these neurons, their gastrointestinal transit goes super fast, which has important consequences because it suggests that there is not enough time for proper nutrient absorption.
Since PIEZO2 is expressed by multiple groups of neurons that innervate the gut, the researchers also wanted to pinpoint which neural pathway is responsible for controlling gut transit time. By using genetic and viral tools to selectively shut down PIEZO2 in two neural pathways the nodose ganglia and dorsal root ganglia the researchers were able to show that neurons in the dorsal root ganglia are exclusively responsible for controlling gut motility.
It was very surprising that neurons from the dorsal root ganglia but not from the nodose ganglia have a homeostatic function in gut motility, says Servin-Vences. The nodose ganglia is known to regulate many functions in the gut, lungs and heart, whereas neurons from the dorsal root ganglia are more known for innervating the skin and detecting temperature and pain.
The team also used fluorescent imaging to show that PIEZO2 control of gut motility occurs along the entire gastrointestinal tract from stomach to small intestine to colon.
Though this is just an initial glimpse into how sensory neurons control gut motility, the researchers say it opens a slew of new research questions, and the possibility for future therapeutics. Servin-Vences says next steps are to assess how diet, lifestyle, stress and even microbiota affect this complicated system.
In the long term, if we are able to
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
How sensory neurons impact the gut Scripps Research scientists show that the receptor PIEZO2 in sensory neurons controls gut motility and transit time, which are important for digestion and nutrient absorption.
