Concept encyclopediaHormones
Serotonin
5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine
Just friction, or scratching or stretching the intestine is enough to cause it to release serotonin into the bloodstream. Serotonin increases the permeability of the intestine and blood vessels, and so is likely to be a major cause of the absorption of endotoxin (and other harmful material) during intestinal irritation or stress. The biological meaning of serotonin might be very different without endotoxin, but that hasn't been investigated.
Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a chemical compound that plays a crucial role in various physiological processes. It is synthesized from the essential amino acid tryptophan and mediates motility in the gastrointestinal tract and is a vasoactive agent .
Serotonin has been associated with a defect in serotonergic function in learned helplessness, a behavioral depression caused by exposure to inescapable stress . However, the nature of this relationship is not entirely clear. Research has shown that basal 5-HT levels in rats do not correlate with subsequent learned helplessness behavior, but 5-HT release after stress shows a significant increase with helpless behavior .
Serotonin has also been implicated in circulatory disease, especially hypertension and vascular spasms . It causes vasoconstriction and vasospasm, and promotes clotting, when released from platelets. Additionally, serotonin is considered an inflammatory mediator, along with histamine, and is involved in the production of edema, bronchoconstriction, immunosuppression, and joint swelling .
The microbiota plays a critical role in regulating host 5-HT, promoting 5-HT biosynthesis from colonic enterochromaffin cells . Indigenous spore-forming bacteria from the mouse and human microbiota increase 5-HT levels in the gut, which significantly impact host physiology, modulating GI motility and platelet function.
Serotonin has also been linked to cancer, with studies suggesting that it promotes its own synthesis, activates the Warburg Effect, and drives the growth of various cancer types, including breast, colon, and pancreatic cancer . The Warburg Effect is a required factor for the growth of all cancer types studied so far, and serotonin's role in driving cancer growth is considered a major causative factor for the skyrocketing rates of cancer deaths .
Furthermore, serotonin has been implicated in osteoporosis, with key serotonin pathway markers being significantly higher in women with osteoporosis compared to those with normal bone density or osteopenia . The study suggests that 5-HT antagonists, such as cyproheptadine, diphenhydramine, and ondansetron, may be a simple therapeutic option for treating osteoporosis.
People also ask
- What triggers an increase in serotonin release after stress?Research has shown that 5-HT release after stress shows a significant increase with helpless behavior in rats.
- Can serotonin levels be influenced by the microbiota?The microbiota plays a critical role in regulating host 5-HT, promoting 5-HT biosynthesis from colonic enterochromaffin cells.
- What is the relationship between serotonin and cancer growth?Serotonin has been linked to cancer, with studies suggesting that it promotes its own synthesis, activates the Warburg Effect, and drives the growth of various cancer types.