Changes in thymidine uptake in the gastrointestinal tract of the rat following treatment with 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2

Abstract

Thymidine uptake in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract of the rat was studied to determine if cell synthesis was involved in the increases in weight of the stomach, small intestine and colon which result from treatment with 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 (16,16-dimethyl PGE 2). Animals were treated for 2 days with 16,16-dimethyl PGE 2. They were injected with the 3H-thymidine, sacrificed and the organs of interest were removed. The total amount of tritium in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon was determined. Thymidine uptake was significantly increased in the duodenum (1.50 times), jejunum (1.53 times), and colon (1.40 times) but not in the stomach and ileum. The increases were dose related in the duodenum and jejunum. The colon showed a similar dose response pattern but the changes with dose did not reach significance. These results confirm and extend a previous report that 16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 increased thymidine uptake in the duodenum but not the stomach (1). This is different from gastrin which has been shown by others to increase thymidine uptake in the stomach, duodenum, ileum and colon (2,3).