murine gastritis by EEPA treatment

Atrophic gastritis (AG) impairs food digestion and increases risks of gastric cancer and there is no drugs available to reverse the mucosal atrophy. We report here that peptide-enriched extract of Periplaneta americana (PEEPA) activates gastric stem cells and show therapeutic effects on experimental atrophic gastritis. PEEPA also promotes gastric organoid growth and differentiation by acting as EGF. PEEPA enhances EGF-EGFR complex formation and activates its downstream pathways, albeit with unique dynamics and spectrum. Moreover, the PEEPA peptide promotes growth of gastric organoids derived from patients. This study thus identifies an insect peptide that activates gastric stem cells to reconstitute gastric glands in AG models, opening up a new avenue for AG treatment. This data certifies the above-mentioned results.