GI06 - Effect of Nutrient Profile on Post-Prandial GLP-2 Plasma Concentration in Cats

Abstract: Background - Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is an enteroendocrine hormone responsible for gastrointestinal (GI) health with nutrient-dependent secretion.
Hypothesis/Objectives - Maximal GLP-2 plasma concentration occurs 30 minutes after meal ingestion, and a high-fat meal provides greater GLP-2 secretion stimulus than high-protein or high-carbohydrate meals.
Animals - 9 healthy research cats.
Methods - This was a randomized, cross-over study. Cats were fed a standardized high-fat, high-carbohydrate, or high-protein meal after an overnight fast. Cats received all 3 diets in random order with a 24-hour period between sampling days. Blood samples were collected at baseline, 30, 60, 75, 90, and 120 minutes post-meal. Plasma GLP-2 concentration was measured using a commercial feline ELISA. The Friedman test (non-normal data) or one-way repeated measures ANOVA (normal data) was used to evaluate maximal GLP-2 secretion within each diet. GLP-2 concentrations were compared among diets using a mixed analysis of variance accounting for repeated measures.
Results - Plasma GLP-2 concentration 30 minutes post high-fat meal (1.64 ± 0.23 ng/mL) was higher than 90 minutes (1.39 ± 0.31 ng/mL; P = 0.03) and 120 minutes (1.44 ± 0.27 ng/mL; P = 0.03) post-meal. There was no difference in post-prandial GLP-2 concentration after the high-protein or high-carbohydrate meal compared to baseline. There was no difference in post-prandial GLP-2 concentrations between the meal types.
Conclusions and clinical importance - Results suggest that ingested fat is a small but significant stimulus for GLP-2 secretion in cats. Further understanding of GLP-2 secretion may help diagnose and treat feline GI disorders.