In recent years, the importance of guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C) in digestive system diseases has received more and more attention. It plays a key role in regulating water and electrolyte balance, maintaining gastrointestinal function, relieving abdominal pain, controlling inflammation, regulating intestinal microecology, inhibiting tumor growth and regulating cell proliferation, and is considered as a potential therapeutic target for digestive tract diseases. This article reviews the role of GC-C in digestive system diseases and related intervention studies of agonists linaclotide and plecanatide in recent years, in order to better understand its intrinsic function and further guide the diagnosis and treatment of related clinical diseases.
Inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) is a group of fundus diseases characterized by a high degree of genetic heterogeneity and clinical heterogeneity, and more than 300 genetic mutations have been identified in association with IRD. Dysregulation of the intracellular second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) plays an important role in the development of IRD. cGMP participates in phototransduction process in photoreceptors. Abnormally elevated cGMP over-activate protein kinase G and cyclic nucleotide-gated channel, causing protein phosphorylation and Ca2+ overload, respectively, and these two cGMP-dependent pathways may individually or collectively drive photoreceptor degenerative lesions and death; therefore, reducing cGMP synthesis and blocking downstream signaling can be considered as treatment strategies. Investigating the molecular mechanisms of cGMP dysregulation in photoreceptor degeneration may provide a more comprehensive picture of the pathogenesis of IRD, as well as ideas for finding new therapeutic targets and designing therapeutic programs.