A genetic screen in enteroendocrine cells reveals mechanisms that control protein sensing and GLP-1 release

Enteroendocrine cells (EECs) are the principal nutrient sensors in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and release hormones such as glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1) that modulate GI function and appetite. While some of the molecules involved in nutrient sensing within EECs have been described, there have been no systematic studies to map the relevant genes and pathways. Here, we developed a strategy to perform a high-throughput screen for genes that are required for nutrient-induced activation of EECs, and we applied this to probe mechanisms for sensing dietary protein. We found that all of the genes previously proposed to function as protein sensors in EECs are, collectively, dispensable for protein sensing in an EEC cell line. Instead, a screen of >20,000 sgRNAs identified numerous genes associated with mitochondrial respiration as being necessary for this process. We showed through secondary assays that impairing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) reduced EEC activation and GLP-1 release in response to nutrients but not in response to a non-nutritive stimulus. On the other hand, boosting OXPHOS increased EEC activation and GLP-1 release. These data reveal that intracellular metabolism within EECs controls the detection of dietary protein, possibly by monitoring the entry of ingested amino acids into the TCA cycle. More broadly, these findings suggest a general strategy to screen for genes and pathways that might be used to boost the nutrient-regulated release of gut peptides such as GLP-1.