de Wet Group

01865-272114
Heidi.de-wet@dpag.ox.ac.uk

Role of ABC transporters in gut endocrine K-and L-cells

Energy homeostasis in man: the gut-brain axis

Cells are surrounded by an impermeable fatty membrane, and traffic in and out of cells is strictly regulated. Transporters shuttle compounds from one side of the membrane to the other in a binding pocket. The largest transporter family in mammals is the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily.

My group investigates the role of ABC transporters in gut endocrine K-and L-cells. K- and L-cells are involved in nutrient sensing in the small intestine and the subsequent secretion of peptide hormones. Peptide hormones GIP and GLP-1 regulate many important physiological responses, such as postprandial insulin release and the suppression of appetite. Little is known about the function of ABC transporters in gut endocrine cells and my preliminary studies are focussed on establishing a functional link between nutrient sensing, hormone secretion and protein expression.

See here for a recent review:

Chinoy, J.; Meller, C.; de Wet, H. An Emerging Paradigm for ABCC5/MRP5 Function in Human Physiology. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, Sept 26, 9211. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms2618