Abstract
Mucosal disaccharidases and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activities were measured in malnourished (MN), preweaning (19 days), post weaning (24 d) and young adult (37 d) rats. Malnutrition resulted in decreased body weight, intestinal weight, DNA and protein content. Mucosal Prot/DNA ratios were elevated in the ileal segments of 24 and 37 d tats. Mucosal sucrase(s) and (ODC) specific activities and polyamine content were significantly elevated in the ileal seoment of 24 and 37 day old MN rats only. Results for 37 d old tats wete: Sucrase IU/gPr 51.2+7.7 (C) versus 88.8±12.4 (MN), p<0.01 ODC pmol/h/gPr 11.4±6.2 (C) versus 46.3±2.1 (MN) p<0.01, Putrescine nmole/10cm mucosa 1.6±0.7 (C) versus 6.1±4.3 (MN) p<0.05. These increased specific activities were located in the mature entetocytes at the villous tip. DFMO administration for 4 days inhibited mucosal ODC and completely abolished the adaptive rise of ileal sucrase activity. Sucrase in DFMO treated MN rats = 28.7±9.0 IU/gPr. We conclude that the intestinal response to teduced food intake is age related and differs in the jejunum and ileum: ODC and polyamines are involved in ileal adaption to malnutrition in post weaned and adult rats.
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