Immunohistochemical Analysis of IA-2 Family of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases in Rat Gastrointestinal Endocrine Cells

Islet-associated protein-2 (IA-2) and IA-2 beta (also known as phogrin) are unique neuroendocrine-specific protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). The IA-2 family of PTPs was originally identified from insulinoma cells and discovered to be major autoantigens in type 1 diabetes. Despite its expression in the neural and canonical endocrine tissues, data on expression of the IA-2 family of PTPs in gastrointestinal endocrine cells (GECs) are limited. Therefore, we immunohistochemically investigated the expression of the IA-2 family of PTPs in the rat gastrointestinal tract. In the stomach, IA-2 and IA-2 beta were expressed in GECs that secrete serotonin, somatostatin, and cholecystokinin/gastrin-1. In addition to these hormones, secretin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (also known as the glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide), glucagon-like peptide-1, and glucagon, but not ghrelin were coexpressed with IA-2 or IA-2 beta in duodenal GECs. Pancreatic islet cells that secrete gut hormones expressed the IA-2 family of PTPs. The expression patterns of IA-2 and IA-2 beta were comparable. These results reveal that the IA-2 family of PTPs is expressed in a cell type-specific manner in rat GECs. The extensive expression of the IA-2 family of PTPs in pancreo-gastrointestinal endocrine cells and in the enteric plexus suggests their systemic contribution to nutritional control through a neuroendocrine signaling network. (J Histochem Cytochem 61: 156-168, 2013)