The hERG protein is a member of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels. Previous reports showed that patients with long QT syndrome due to mutations in hERG channel had higher responsive glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion. However, the role of hERG in GLP-1 secretion remains uncertain. Here we report that hERG is co-expressed in GLP-1-expressing L cells in rodent intestinal epithelium (Fig. 1). In a murine L-cell model, GLUTag cell line, downregulation of hERG significantly prolonged action potential duration, increased intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), and promoted GLP-1 secretion (Fig. 2) after stimulation of nutrients. These results reveal a direct role of hERG in GLP-1 secretion in murine L-cells, suggesting intestinal hERG is a potential target for the treatment of diabetes.

graphic
View largeDownload slide
graphic
View largeDownload slide
Disclosure

J.Yang: None. C.Liu: None. H.Wang: None. Y.Yuan: None.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (82170809, 81930019)

© 2023 by the American Diabetes Association
2023
Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. More information is available at http://www.diabetesjournals.org/content/license.