Uroguanylin (human)

General Description

Uroguanylin is a peptide hormone consisting of 15–17 aa residues that binds to the guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C) receptor to produce cGMP, which is often more effective than guanylin (GN). It plays important roles in regulating ion and water transport and maintaining epithelial homeostasis in the intestine and kidney. Opossum lymphoguanylin (Lgn) is more similar to UGN than to GN, and thus, is described here.

Clinical Use

Two UGN/GN agonists, linaclotide and plecanatide, have recently been approved in the United States, European Union, Japan, and other countries for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and chronic constipation. They have also been approved in the United States for treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, respectively.