Effects of dietary starch source on electrophysiological intestinal epithelial properties and intestinal glucose uptake in growing goats

Abstract

In ruminants, the potential benefit of by-pass starch to improve energy supply is under discussion. As efficient intestinal starch digestion and monosaccharide absorption are important prerequisites for an energetic benefit compared to ruminal fermentation, this study was conducted to characterise potential adaptations of intestinal tissues to different dietary starch sources qualitatively. The Ussing chamber technique was used to determine electrophysiological parameters of jejunal tissues and glucose flux rates. Kinetics of sodium-dependent glucose uptake into isolated brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) were calculated, and the expression level of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) was determined. Samples were collected from goats that were assigned to three dietary treatments differing in starch content (hay/concentrate) and starch source (wheat/corn). Additionally, ingesta samples were analysed for starch and glucose contents. Jejunal tissues from hay-fed animals showed higher tissue conductances (G t) and numerically higher short-circuit currents (I sc). Unidirectional glucose flux rates were higher for hay-fed animals, whereas net flux rates were unaffected. The maximal glucose transport capacity into BBMV was increased for concentrate-fed animals, but the affinity and SGLT1 expression were not affected. Our results may indicate an adaptation of glucose uptake via SGLT1 to variations in dietary starch but it could not be excluded that intestinal uptake capacity was saturated under the given conditions or that the measured capacity was sufficient for absorption of available glucose.