Cotransport of organic solutes and sodium ions in the small intestine: a general model. Amino acid transport

Ethanol-induced changes in lipid peroxidation of enterocytes across the crypt-villus axis in rats

BACKGROUND

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the turnover of epithelial cells in the rat intestine. The metabolism of ethanol generates ROS, which are implicated in cellular injury, but the levels of lipid peroxidation in intestine in chronic alcoholism are unknown.

AIM

To investigate the effects of ethanol ingestion on lipid peroxidation, and anti- and pro-oxidant enzyme systems in enterocytes across the crypt-villus axis in intestine.

METHODS

Wistar rats (90-100 g) were administered 1 mL of 30% ethanol daily for 39 days. Intestinal epithelial cells were isolated in fractions. Malondialdehyde levels, and activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were determined in various cell fractions. Incorporation of H3-thymidine into DNA of enterocytes was also determined.

RESULTS

Lipid peroxidation was elevated by two- to three-folds in both villus and crypt cells in ethanol-fed animals compared to controls. The activities of GST and GR were four- to six-folds higher in villus tip cells compared to crypt base cells. The activities of SOD and catalase were five- to seven-fold higher in crypt base cells compared to villus tip cells. Ethanol feeding elevated the activities of SOD (76-190%) and catalase (20-150%) in enterocytes all along the crypt-villus axis compared to the controls. H3 thymidine incorporation into DNA of enterocytes was reduced by half in ethanol-fed rats compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a gradient in the concentration of lipid peroxides in enterocytes across the crypt-villus axis, being high at the villus tip and low at the crypt base in the rat intestine. Ethanol feeding enhanced lipid peroxidation in both villus and crypt cells.

Momordica charantia Extracts Inhibit Uptake of Monosaccharide and Amino Acid across Rat Everted Gut Sacs in-Vitro

The inhibitory effects of Momordica charantia extracts were studied on the uptake of glucose and tyrosine across rat everted gut sacs in vitro. The aqueous extract of the plant was found to inhibit primarily the uptake of glucose in a dose-dependent manner. Uptake of tyrosine was affected at high substrate concentrations only. The extract was also found to decrease the absorptive capacity of fluid across the small intestine and sodium ions. It is hypothesized that the effects of Momordica could involve a washout of glucose from the blood stream.

Active transport inhibition in rat small intestine by amphiphilic amines: an in vitro study with various local anaesthetics

In the present investigation with rings of everted rat small intestine, amphiphilic amines such as local anaesthetics (e.g. lidocaine, procaine, tolycaine) were employed to study their effects on intestinal absorption of methyl alpha-D-glucoside, L-leucine, D-fructose, and 2-deoxy-D-glucose. All the amphiphilic amines tested, except for benzocaine, significantly inhibited Na(+)-dependent active uptake of methyl alpha-D-glucoside and L-leucine while leaving uptake of D-fructose (facilitated diffusion) and 2-deoxy-D-glucose (passive diffusion) unaffected. Increasing concentrations of lidocaine in the incubation medium inhibited the uptake of methyl alpha-D-glucoside (IC(50) approximately 3.5 mmol/L) and L-leucine (IC(50) approximately 6 mmol/L) in a dose-dependent manner. Complete reversibility of the inhibitory effect could only be achieved at short-term incubations (</=2 min) and low lidocaine concentrations (</=3 mmol/L), otherwise inhibition became partially irreversible. Uptake kinetics of methyl alpha-D-glucoside and L-leucine in the presence of lidocaine revealed a significant increase in the apparent Michaelis constant, leaving the maximal transport capacity essentially unaltered. Reducing the Na(+) concentration in the incubation medium aggravated inhibition by lidocaine of the uptake of methyl alpha-D-glucoside. Analysis of the inhibition kinetics by Dixon plots revealed a competitive interaction between Na(+) and the amphiphiles. However, phlorizin binding was not affected by lidocaine. Changing the pH of the incubation medium from 5.6 to 8.0 increased the inhibitory effect of the amphiphiles, which indicated that the non-ionised and, thus, more lipophilic form participates in the mechanism of inhibition. However, benzocaine, a rather lipophilic local anaesthetic with no aliphatic amino group, did not impair active uptake of methyl alpha-D-glucoside. Whether the amphiphilic amines act by their partition into the membrane matrix or directly interact with sodium binding sites remains to be elucidated, however.

Direct inhibitory effect of CCCP on the Cl(-)-H+ symporter of the guinea pig ileal brush-border membrane

The effect of carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) on Cl- uptake across the brush-border membrane (BBM) was quantified using 36Cl and BBM vesicles from guinea pig ileum. CCCP inhibited only partially both the pH gradient-activated Cl- uptake and Cl-/Cl- exchange activities present in these vesicles. In contrast, CCCP had no effect on the initial (2-30 s) decay rate of an imposed proton gradient, as determined using the pH-sensitive fluorophore pyranine. Taken together, these results strongly indicate that the main action of CCCP does not consist of dissipating any imposed pH gradient but rather in inhibiting directly the pH gradient-activated Cl- uptake and Cl-/Cl- exchange activities characterizing the intestinal BBM. Because these two activities can be explained in terms of a single (homogeneous) random, nonobligatory two-site Cl(-)-H+ symporter, in which Cl-/Cl- exchange occurs by counterflow [F. Alvarado and M. Vasseur. Am. J. Physiol. 271 (Cell Physiol. 40): C1612-C1628, 1996], we developed a new, more general three-site symport model that fully explains the Cl- uptake inhibitions caused by CCCP. This new model postulates the existence of a third, allosteric, inhibitory CCCP-binding site separate from either of the two substrate-binding sites of the Cl(-)-H+ symporter, the Cl(-)-binding and the H(+)-binding sites. Finally, we show that, to explain the partial inhibitions observed, it is necessary to postulate that all the substrate-bound carrier complexes, = C-S, I = C-S, A = C-S, and IA = C-S, where C is carrier, I is inhibitor, S is substrate, and A is activator, can form and be translocated.

Theoretical and experimental discrimination between Cl(-)-H+ symporters and Cl-/OH- antiporters

A Cl(-)-H+ symport and a Cl-/OH- antiport cannot be readily distinguished physicochemically, but a kinetic distinction is theoretically possible, because a Cl(-)-H+ symporter involves a two-site carrier whereas a Cl-/OH- antiporter involves a single-site carrier. Accordingly, we have developed kinetic models and equations that we have tested by studying Cl- uptake by isolated guinea pig ileal brush-border membrane vesicles as a function of Cl- or H+ concentration. We conclude that a two-site Cl(-)-H+ symporter with a 1:1 stoichiometry explains the pH-dependent Cl- uptake and Cl-/Cl- exchange activities of the brush-border membrane in terms of a single random nonobligatory mobile carrier where exchange occurs by counterflow. This symport, probably involving an anion exchanger (AE 2) protein, differs, therefore, functionally from the erythrocyte's band 3 AE1, which involves an antiport. The question is whether members of the AE gene family can be functionally diverse, even when their primary structures exhibit up to 50% overall homologies.

Small-intestinal transfer mechanism of prunasin, the primary metabolite of the cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin

1. The small-intestinal transfer of prunasin (D-mandelo-nitrile-beta-D-glucoside), the primary metabolite of amygdalin which is not absorbed in the small intestine as such, was studied in rat jejunum and ileum in vitro. 2. As shown by high pressure liquid chromatography, prunasin is transferred essentially intact across the intestinal wall, without cleavage of the glycosidic bond and thus no formation of benzaldehyde or cyanide during the mucosal passage. 3. Only the jejunal transfer of prunasin followed saturation kinetics (vmax = 1.6 mumol cm-1 min-1; KT = 460 mumol l-1) and exhibited a clearsodium-ion dependence. As indicated by the temperature dependence, only the jejunal mucosa-to-serosa transfer and the corresponding tissue uptake of prunasin required apparently high activation energies. Transfer in the terminal ileum showed diffusion characteristics. 4. Jejunal methyl alpha-D-glucoside transfer was inhibited by the presence of prunasin. Furthermore, the tissue uptake of methyl alpha-D-glucoside in rat jejunum was competitively inhibited by prunasin. 5. The results indicate that prunasin is absorbed unmetabolised in the jejunum of the rat via the transport system of glucose.

Dietary protein regimens and chronic ethanol administration effects on sodium- and proton-dependent solute uptake in rat intestine

The effect of feeding ethanol daily for 40 days has been studied on intestinal uptake of glucose, glycine, and leucine in rats fed control, 8% protein (LP), and 30% protein (HP) diets. Na(+)-dependent uptake of glucose and glycine both at pH 7.2 and pH 5.5 was significantly depressed (p < 0.001) in ethanol or LP diet-fed animals and remained unaffected in HP-fed rats compared to the controls. But ethanol administration to protein-malnourished rats enhanced the Na(+)-linked glucose and glycine uptakes. Leucine uptake remained unaffected under these conditions. Glucose uptake remained unaltered whereas glycine uptake was reduced when ethanol was administered to rats given HP diet. In the absence of Na+, uptake of glucose, glycine, and leucine was more at acidic pH compared to that at pH 7.2 under all the experimental conditions investigated. Proton-linked uptake of solutes was unaffected by feeding ethanol, LP, or HP diet in rats. Thus, chronic ethanol feeding specifically depresses the Na(2+)-dependent uptake of glucose and glycine. Dietary protein content modifies ethanol effects on intestinal solute uptake in rats.

Lipid deposition in intestine as a possible cause of malabsorption of nutrients in zinc-deficient common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

An experiment was performed to examine the interaction between Zn deficiency and lipid intake in carp. The carp were given a high-lipid diet that was either Zn-deficient (ZD) or Zn-supplemented (ZS), or were pair-fed (PF) the ZS diet to the intake of the ZD group. After 8 weeks the carp were killed and measurements were made of intestinal glucose uptake, levels of DNA, RNA and triacylglycerol, and alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) activity in liver and intestine samples. A further group of similar carp were given the same diets but at week 8 were transferred to low-lipid diets, with the exception of half the ZD group. After a further 8 weeks of treatment, carps were killed for biochemical studies. Intestinal [14C]glucose uptake, levels of DNA, RNA and alkaline phosphatase activity in intestine and liver were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the high-lipid ZD group than in the high-lipid ZS and PF diet groups. The triacylglycerol concentration in the intestine was higher in the high-lipid ZD group than in the other two groups. When the carp were given the corresponding low-lipid diets, the variables measured in intestine and liver of the ZD group were close to those of the other groups. The results of this study demonstrate that lipid, when present in excess in the diet, accumulates in the intestine under Zn-deficient conditions and may reduce the absorption of glucose in carp. The reduced RNA and DNA levels and alkaline phosphatase activity in liver and intestine of ZD fish compared with those of ZS fish given high-lipid diets is proposed to be due to the malabsorption of nutrients linked with lipid deposition in the intestine, rather than their dependence on the level of Zn in the diet.

Effect of chronic ethanol administration on the absorptive functions of the rat small intestine

Ethanol feeding to rats for 40 days significantly (p < 0.01) depressed sodium-stimulated glucose and glycine uptakes at pH 5.5 and 7.2 without affecting sodium-independent solute transport in the rat intestine. Leucine uptake was essentially unaltered under these conditions. Absorption of bovine serum albumin and gamma-globulin as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent blocking assay (ELISA) was markedly augmented (p < 0.001) in ethanol-fed rats compared to the controls. These observations suggest that chronic ethanol intake differentially affects the uptake of organic solutes and macromolecules in the rat intestine.

Influence of low dietary lipid content on anorexia and [14C]glucose uptake in the intestine of zinc-deficient mice

Zinc deficiency was induced in adult male mice by feeding them for 8 weeks on a purified semi-synthetic Zn-deficient diet (ZD) containing 90 g lipid/kg (60 g maize oil plus 30 g cod-liver oil). One group was then fed on a low-lipid Zn-deficient diet (ZDLR) containing 30 g cod-liver oil/kg as the sole lipid source for a further 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment the stomach clearance rate, daily food intake, body-weight gain and [14C]glucose uptake in the intestine were significantly higher in group ZDLR than in mice that continued eating the Zn-deficient lipid-adequate diet ZD, and were comparable to results for a group given a Zn-supplemented diet. These results suggest that the pathogenesis of anorexia, nutrient malabsorption and growth retardation are secondary to lipid malabsorption resulting from Zn deficiency.

Effect of calcium on oxalate uptake and transport by the rat intestine

The effect of calcium concentration (0-10 mmol 1(-1)) on oxalate uptake and transport was investigated in vitro using everted gut segments and sacs. Increase in calcium concentration in the incubation medium led to an increase in the amounts of precipitated oxalate on the intestine; however, the net oxalate flux to the serosal side decreased. The ions, i.e. Ca2+, Ox2-, H2PO4-, HPO4(2-), present in the incubation medium favoured formation of hydroxyapatite and calcium oxalate crystals, as evidenced by Equil II analysis and free energy of the system. The nature of precipitates was confirmed by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction spectrometry and electron microscopy. Oxalate precipitated on the intestine following incubation with calcium could be released into a calcium- and oxalate-free medium. Animals fed oxalate in the absence and presence of calcium revealed that, during 1 h in the absence of calcium, oxalate moved down the intestinal tract as a distinct peak of greater than 50% (70-90 cm in the intestine), leaving less than 10% in the stomach and first 50 cm of the intestine. In the case of animals fed calcium along with oxalate, 35% of the oxalate was still present in the stomach, and the amounts of oxalate in the intestinal segments gradually increased from 4.5% to 21.7% (0-90 cm) and dropped to 2.1% in the next 20 cm. Since oxalaemia and oxaluria appear to be influenced by intestinal oxalate absorption, the present observations may help to improve understanding of the pathophysiology of disorders exhibiting altered oxalate metabolism.

The effect of propane-diols on the intestinal uptake of nutrients and brush border membrane enzymes in the rat

The effect on rats of oral doses (38.66 mM/kg body wt) of propane-1,2-diol (PD) administered daily for 10 (Group 1), 20 (Group 2), and 30 days (Group 3) was investigated. Weight gain was initially retarded (P less than 0.05) in Group 1, but was later reversed and elevated significantly (P less than 0.05) in Groups 2 and 3 as compared with their respective controls receiving an equal volume of saline. PD showed a tendency toward enhancing the activities of various enzymes involved in terminal digestion, with the significant effect exerted in few groups on sucrase (P less than 0.05), lactase (P less than 0.05), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (P less than 0.05) when compared with the respective controls. Absorption of D-glucose, glycine, L-aspartic acid, L-lysine, and calcium was elevated and was especially significant in Groups 2 and 3 (P less than 0.001). The structural integrity of the jejunal surface was retained for the most part. A similar examination of the effects of PD was also carried out in vitro to ascertain whether PD itself or its metabolites are involved in its action. The in vitro effects of propane-1,2-diol were compared with those of the more toxic compound propane-1,3-diol. The former exerted greater inhibitory action on the activities of the disaccharidases. The degree of inhibition was in the order sucrase much greater than lactase greater than maltase. The kinetic data revealed that inhibition by 1,2-diol in native and detergent solubilized sucrase is noncompetitive, with Ki values in the range of 0.35-0.41 M. The two diols did not alter the nutrient transport in the brush border membrane vesicles. The present work on rats indicates that PD may influence the intestinal digestive and absorptive functions in vivo and that this in vivo effect of PD is different from that observed in vitro suggesting that the nutritional and toxicological effect of PD may be mediated by different mechanisms.

Kinetics of Cl-dependent K fluxes in hyposmotically swollen low K sheep erythrocytes

A detailed kinetic study of K:Cl cotransport in hyposmotically swollen low K sheep red blood cells was carried out to characterize the nature of the outwardly poised carrier. The kinetic parameters were determined from the rate of K efflux and influx under zero-K-trans conditions in red cells with cellular K altered by the nystatin method and with different extracellular K or Rb concentrations. Although apparent affinities for efflux and influx were quite similar, the maximal velocity for K efflux was approximately two times greater than for influx. Furthermore, at thermodynamic equilibrium (i.e., when the ion product of K and Cl within the cell was equal to that outside) a temperature-dependent net K efflux was observed, approaching zero only when the external product reached approximately two times the internal product. The binding order of the ions to the transporter was asymmetric, being ordered outside (Cl binding first, followed by K) and random inside. K efflux but not influx was trans-inhibited by KCl. Trans inhibition of K efflux was used to verify the order of binding outside: trans inhibition by external Cl occurred in the absence of external K, but not vice versa. Thus K:Cl cotransport is kinetically asymmetric in hyposmotically swollen low K sheep red cells.

Mutual inhibition of sugars and amino acid intestinal absorption

1. Intestinal absorption of sugars shows interaction with amino acids and vice versa. 2. The percentage of inhibition induced by a substrate depends on the type of substrate and the substance affected. 3. The mutual inhibition of monosaccharides and amino acids can be explained by five different hypotheses. 4. The most accepted hypotheses are the "allosteric interaction" and the "accelerated efflux". 5. From the results in the literature it is difficult to decide which of the two hypotheses is the more accurate.

pH-dependent glycine uptake in the presence and absence of sodium ions from rat small intestine

Intestinal uptake of glycine in rats was stimulated 15-20% in the presence of 120 mM Na at pH 6.0 and below but around neutral pH, the amino acid uptake was augmented to 60% compared to that in the Na-free medium. Glycine uptake was 30% more at pH 5.5 compared to that at pH 7.3 in the absence of Na. Kinetic analysis revealed a decrease in Kt for glycine uptake (9.62 mM) at pH 5.5 compared to that at pH 7.3 (Kt = 16.67 mM) with no change in maximal velocity (1.51 mumole/10 min/g tissue) in Na-free buffer. Addition of -SH group reacting reagents to the incubation medium produced 36-58% inhibition of glycine uptake in the presence of Na. However, in absence of Na, inhibition of the order of 21-35% and 8-23% was observed at pH 5.5 and 7.0, respectively. These findings suggest that glycine uptake in rat intestine is influenced by pH and -SH groups are implicated in the process(es).

Alkali-metal-ion- and H+-dependent activation and/or inhibition of intestinal brush-border sucrase. A model involving three functionally distinct key prototropic groups

For rabbit intestinal brush-border sucrase, a model based on classical Michaelis-Dixon theory cannot fully explain the peculiar antagonistic relationship existing between the substrate and one key proton, Hx, which at acid pH values behaves as a fully competitive inhibitor. In the same pH range, a second proton, Hy, is responsible for changes in catalytic activity and behaves as a mixed-type partially non-competitive inhibitor [Vasseur, Tellier & Alvarado (1982) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 218, 263-274]. Although involved in the same ionization reaction, these two protons have different kinetic functions, since they are responsible for affinity-type and capacity-type effects respectively. Depending on whether Hx is bound or not, we postulate the enzyme to alternate between two distinct forms differing in their binding properties. The alkali-metal ions Na+ and Li+ have a concentration-dependent biphasic effect on this equilibrium. At low concentrations they facilitate the release of Hx, resulting in K-type activation. At higher concentrations they favour enzyme reprotonation, causing K-type inhibition. On the basic side of the pH spectrum, our results confirm the existence of separate non-competitive effects of the alkali-metal ions, particularly Li+ [Alvarado & Mahmood (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 9534-9541]. To explain the molecular mechanisms underlying the alkali-metal-ion- and H+-dependent effects, we formulate a sucrase model, the three-protons model, in which the acid and basic ionization constants involve respectively two and one key prototropic groups that are functionally distinguishable. A global iterative fit of the relevant general equation to our whole set of data has permitted us to estimate the numerical value of each of the constants constituting the model.

Characteristics of L-glutamine transport in perfused rat skeletal muscle

1. We have investigated glutamine transport in the perfused rat hindlimb using the paired-tracer isotope dilution technique. 2. Uptake of L-glutamine was stereospecific, saturable, sodium dependent, insulin sensitive and pH insensitive in the physiological range. The maximum capacity of transport (Vmax) under normal perfusate conditions at 37 degrees C, 145 mM-Na+ and in the absence of insulin was 1156 +/- 193 nmol min-1 g-1 with transport being half-maximal at a perfusate glutamine concentration of 9.25 +/- 1.15 mM. 3. The kinetics of Na+ dependence strongly suggested co-transport of Na+ and glutamine with a stoichiometry of 1:1; furthermore, Na+ activated the carrier without any change in the concentration of glutamine at which transport was half-maximal, i.e. a 'Vmax effect' rather than a 'Km effect'. 4. The characteristics of glutamine transport, especially its substrate specificity and the pattern of competitive and non-competitive inhibition of glutamine transport by other amino acids, suggest that it is mediated by a carrier or carriers for which asparagine and histidine are also suitable substrates. 5. The characteristics of muscle glutamine transport are related but distinct from those of system N identified in hepatocytes; we suggest that they are sufficiently distinct to justify the identification of a new variant of mammalian amino acid transport systems which may be identified by the symbol Nm. 6. The kinetic characteristics of system Nm are such that glutamine is likely to be the most rapidly exchanging amino acid across the muscle membrane at physiological intra- and extracellular glutamine concentrations. Its hormone and ion sensitivities are likely to be important in the physiological modulation of whole-body glutamine metabolism and also during derangements observed in disease and after injury.

Regulatory and energetic role of Na+ in amino acid uptake by fertilized sea urchin eggs

Relationships between the Na+ dependent amino acid uptake displayed by fertilized sea urchin eggs and the electrochemical gradient of Na+ was investigated. The time course of Na+ content and valine or alanine uptake was simultaneously monitored in Na+ loaded eggs [by fertilization in K+-free artificial sea water (OK-ASW), or by using monensin, antimycin, cyanide, or ciguatoxin]. Our results demonstrate that the uphill amino acid uptake follows the "Na+ gradient hypothesis." Subsequent fertilization of eggs Na+ depleted by ammonia for 40 min stimulates to a great extent the development of amino acid uptake as compared with controls eggs. By using simultaneous change of external and intracellular Na+ concentration, we studied the specific role of this ion. An increase in internal Na+ inhibits the uptake through trans inhibitory action while an increase in external Na+ stimulates the efficiency of the uptake system. In eggs fertilized since 30 min, hyperpolarization obtained in K+-free ASW stimulates amino acid uptake while depolarization (transfer from K+ free ASW to ASW) inhibits it. This potential-dependent effect developed after fertilization with a time course similar to that the establishment of K+ conductance described by R. A. Steinhardt, L. Lundin, and D. Mazia (1971, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 68, 2426-2430). In conclusion, our results point out that slight modulations in the activity of the Na+ pump can widely affect the amino acid uptake, suggesting that activation of Na+/K+ ATPase has a key role in the stimulation of amino acid transport.

Comparison of the effect of two different hypoglycemic agents, glibenclamide and HB 699, on the rat small intestinal absorption of sugars and amino acids

4-(2-[5-Chloro-2-methoxy-benzamido]-ethyl)-benzoic acid (HB 699) belongs to the group of hypoglycemic benzoic acid derivatives. Although lacking the sulfonylurea group, the structure of HB 699 partly resembles that of glibenclamide which is known to impair small-intestinal glucose absorption in vitro at high concentrations. Whereas this intestinal effect of glibenclamide is unlikely to contribute to its blood-glucose lowering properties, extrapancreatic and particularly intestinal effects may be important for the antidiabetic action of HB 699. Thus, HB 699 was compared with glibenclamide for the effect on the small-intestinal absorption of sugars and amino acids in vitro (everted-sac and tissue-accumulation technique) and in vivo (single-pass perfusion of the jejunum). In vitro both drugs inhibited the active transport of sugars and amino acids in a dose dependent manner. At equieffective doses (HB 699, 4.5 mmol/l and glibenclamide, 1 mmol/l) the mode of inhibition by the two drugs was similar. A 30-min incubation period reduced the uptake of methyl alpha-D-glucoside by about 75%. The degree of inhibition depended on the time of exposure of the tissue to the drugs. In vitro kinetic studies revealed a mixed type of inhibition. The in vivo effect of the drugs was in accordance with the in vitro findings. Inhibition, as in vitro, was not reversible and even increased further after reinfusion of a drug-free perfusate. In vivo, the drugs inhibited the absorption of methyl alpha-D-glucoside and leucine only at low (less than 20 mmol/l) but not at high (greater than 30 mmol/l) solute concentrations. These results indicate that hypoglycemic benzoic acid derivatives may exert their blood-glucose lowering properties in part by impairing the small-intestinal active transport of glucose.

Intrinsic, apparent, and effective affinities of co- and countertransport systems

Solutions to kinetic schemes for the simple carrier, the countertransporter (antiport, exchanger), and the rapid equilibrium cases of the cotransporter (symport) and co-chemiporter (cation-dependent ATPase) are listed. A distinction is made between the intrinsic, apparent, and effective affinities of the transporters for their substrates. Effective pumping requires that the active transporter binds the pumped substrate, at high affinity, realized at the "whence side" (from which pumping takes place) and, at low affinity, at the "whither side" (to which pumping takes place). It is demonstrated how effective pumping might be achieved by appropriate design of the transporter or chemiporter in terms of the energies of the intrinsic binding sites, the energies of the conformation changes that the pump protein undergoes, the dissociation constant of the chemical reaction that drives the co-chemiport, and the order of binding of the cosubstrates, appropriate at different prevailing levels of the driving substrate.

Transport of galactose and sodium across lizard duodenum

Electrical parameters and transepithelial Na+ and galactose transport were determined in vitro across isolated duodenum of Lacerta galloti lizard. Electrical potential difference (PD) and short-circuit current (Isc) were dependent on the presence of Na+ in the bathing solutions. PD and Isc were affected by addition of galactose to the mucosal solution. Isotopic flux of Na+ measurements across short-circuited duodenum showed a net active Na+ absorption. The net flux of Na+ (JNa+net) accounted for the observed Isc. Both (JNa+net) and Isc were increased by the addition of galactose 5 mM to the mucosal solution. Isotopic flux galactose measurements in open-circuit conditions showed a net active galactose absorption. The net transport of galactose was decreased to zero in the absence of Na+ in mucosal and serosal reservoirs. Galactose has been used to induce changes in short-circuit current (delta Isc) across intestine. delta Isc was a hyperbolic function of galactose concentration characterized by the parameters Vmax (maximum change in delta Isc) and Km (concentration needed to attain a velocity equal to half the Vmax).

Electrical properties of a Na+-dependent phenylalanine transport in lizard (Lacerta galloti) duodenum

The unidirectional transepithelial fluxes of L-phenylalanine across lizard duodenum were determined in flux chambers. Phenylalanine was preferentially transferred from the mucosal to the serosal fluid. This transport was accompanied by an accumulation of substrate from the mucosal medium into the tissue to a similar level and against a concentration gradient. There was no net movement of phenylalanine when the sodium was substituted by choline. The influx of L-phenylalanine into the epithelial cells of lizard duodenum was examined by incubating slices of intestine in radioactively-labelled solutions of the substrate for 2 min. The steady-state uptake was assessed after similar incubations lasting 45 min. Phenylalanine influx obeys the Michaelis-Menten equation with a Km of 5.1 and is dependent on the presence of sodium ions in the incubation medium. Phenylalanine has been used to induce changes in short-circuit current (delta Isc) across intestine. delta Isc was a hyperbolic function of amino acid concentration characterized by the parameters Jm (maximum change in delta Isc) and Km (concentration needed to attain an delta Isc equal to half the Jm). delta Isc determined Km constants showed good agreement with values obtained from direct measurements of phenylalanine uptake into tissue.

In vitro inhibition of rat small intestinal absorption by lipophilic organic cations

Cationic, lipid-soluble organic compounds may interfere with cation-mediated membrane transport processes. Thus, small intestinal absorption may be influenced by lipophilic organic cations. Therefore a series of arylalkylamines was studied in the concentration range from 0.5 to 20 mmol/l for their effect on the transport of various monosaccharides and leucine in the rat small intestine in vitro by means of the tissue accumulation technique. Whereas the monophenyl substituted monoamines (e.g. benzylamine, 2-phenylethylamine, 3-phenylpropylamine) did not show a significant effect on the active transport, the corresponding omega,omega-diphenyl derivatives exhibited a strong inhibition of the active transport of the sugars and the amino acid. These monoamines and drugs of similar structure (e.g. benzoctamine, diphenydramine) exhibited a mixed or non-competitive type of inhibition which correlated quite well with their octanol-water partition coefficients. In contrast, di- or triamines (e.g. harmaline, imipramine, pyrilamine) revealed a rather pure competitive type of inhibition. These findings tentatively suggest a different mode of action on the active transport by lipid-soluble organic amines according to the molecular charge distribution. In addition, membrane vesicles were used to examine the effect of the different amines on the sucrase activity. Regarding the cation-dependent hydrolysis of sucrose, however, no distinct pattern developed.

Normalization of urinary oxalate by taurine in glycolate-fed rats

Oral feeding of sodium glycolate (50 mg/d/rat for ten days) caused a significant (P less than 0.001) increase in oxalate and taurine excretion and a decrease in liver protein content (P less than 0.05), glycolic acid oxidase levels (P less than 0.01), and glycolic acid dehydrogenase levels (P less than 0.01) as compared to normal untreated rats. Taurine (100 mg/d/rat), when administered along with glycolate, prevented these effects of glycolate as evident from normal urinary excretion of oxalate, liver protein content, glycolic acid oxidase, and glycolic acid dehydrogenase levels in glycolate- plus taurine-fed animals.

Hamster intestinal disaccharide absorption: extracellular hydrolysis precedes transport of the monosaccharide products

Hydrolase-related transport was re-investigated in hamster small intestine by the tissue accumulation method. The Na+-dependent, phlorizin-sensitive monosaccharide transport system saturates with 30 mM-D-glucose. According to the hydrolase-related transport hypothesis, additional glucose units will be taken up if they are given in the form of a disaccharide susceptible to hydrolysis. But in experiments with [14C]sucrose we found no evidence for any such surplus glucose uptake. The uptake of 14C label from sucrose was abolished by using Tris, a strong inhibitor of sucrase, by adding competitive inhibitors of the D-glucose transport system (D-glucose, beta-methyl-D-glucopyranoside or phlorizin), and by substituting Li+ for the Na+ in the incubation medium. Glucose and fructose derived from sucrose did not enter the tissues in equimolar amounts: the glucose moiety was taken up much faster. We conclude that in hamster intestine there is no evidence for the existence of hydrolase-related transport with sucrose as the monosaccharide donor. The enzymatic hydrolysis of sucrose and the transport of its products, glucose and fructose, are two distinct events, acting sequentially.

Effect of pyridoxine deficiency on intestinal absorption of calcium and oxalate: chemical composition of brush border membranes in rats

[U-14C]oxalic acid and 45Ca uptake was measured in control and vitamin B6-deficient rats. Calcium and oxalate uptake rates were significantly increased from the intestine of vitamin B6-deficient rats as compared to pair-fed controls. Oxalate uptake in pair-fed control rats follows a passive diffusion. In pyridoxine-deficient rats, the oxalate uptake increases nonlinearly as the oxalate concentration in the incubation medium increased, indicating a two-component system--a saturable sodium-independent uptake and a linear nonsaturable passive-diffusion component. The brush border membrane composition reveals that membrane sialic acid, cholesterol, and protein contents were markedly reduced. These aberrations in the chemical composition of brush border membrane may be responsible for the enhanced oxalic acid uptake in vitamin B6-deficient rats.

Sodium glycolate absorption in rat intestine

Absorption of sodium [1-14C]glycolate by rat intestine was studied by using the tissue accumulation technique with everted intestinal rings. Saturation kinetics was observed for the absorption of glycolate in the jejunoileal region, with a Km of 6.25 mM for glycolate and a Vmax of 5.56 mumole/30 min/g wet wt. The absorption was linear up to a period of 25 min at 37 degrees C. Jejunum and ileum showed significantly higher absorption of glycolate as compared to colon. Sulfhydryl binding agents, viz., p-chloromercuribenzoate and iodoacetate, and respiration inhibitors, e.g., KCN and 2,4-dinitrophenol, had no significant effect on glycolate uptake. However, glyoxylate and lactate showed significant inhibition at 6 mM concentration of the inhibitor. Pyridoxine deficiency had no effect on glycolate uptake by the rat intestine.

Kinetics of the sodium/beta-methyl-D-glucoside co-transport system in the guinea-pig small intestine

The kinetics of sodium-dependent beta-methyl-D-glucoside transport were examined in guinea-pig intestinal rings. Large-scale experiments were performed in which both sodium and monosaccharide concentrations were varied within the same animal. The results were evaluated by non-linear regression analysis, and an attempt was made to distinguish between the applicability of different models to describe the data set. Only two of the tested models provided a good fit to the data. These both involved the random formation of a ternary complex from either intermediate binary complex; in one, the constraint that only the ternary complex was able to cross the membrane was included, whereas in the other the ratio of the permeability coefficients for the binary complex between sugar and carrier and for the ternary complex was estimated. But this ratio did not differ significantly from zero, so the two acceptable models were equivalent. In addition, it was necessary to introduce into both these models the concept of a sodium reservoir at the surface of the brush-border membrane, such that the local sodium concentration in the vicinity of the carriers could never fall below a certain critical value (which was estimated at 4.8 mM), even in complete absence of this ion from the bulk medium.

The mechanism of Na+-L-lactate cotransport by brush border membrane vesicles from horse kidney: analysis of rapid equilibrium kinetics in absence of membrane potential

Membrane transport of lactate was studied using vesicles prepared from horse kidney brush border. It is shown that the carrier-mediated transport of L-lactate is Na dependent and the D-lactate Na dependence seems weaker than the L stereoisomer. Augmented transport rate is observed following imposition of an artificial chemical Na+ gradient of electrical potential difference. The effect of Na+ chemical gradient on the L-lactate uptake was analyzed using membrane vesicles incubated with 50 mM KCl and valinomycin in order to short circuit any contribution of transmembrane electrical potential to the transport. Kinetics results and principally the absence of linearity between l/v (lactate) versus l/Na+ show that the L-lactate transport mechanism fit the properties of an ordered process with two Na+ ions cotransported with one L-lactate anion. The L-lactate and sodium affinities (Km) determined under Na+ chemical gradient were 1.05 and 48 mM for L-lactate and Na, respectively. The sodium activation was shown to be highly cooperative with a Hill number of 2 although no "sigmoidal" activation effect was observed.

Interaction of glycylglycine and Na+ at the mucosal border of guinea-pig small intestine. A non-mutual stimulation of transport

Sodium-dependence of glycylglycine (Gly-Gly) influx and stimulation of Na+ transport by Gly-Gly were studied in everted sacs, sheet preparations and brush-border membrane vesicles isolated from guinea-pig ileum. Gly-Gly influx was found to be independent of the presence of Na+, while Na+ transport was stimulated by Gly-Gly as evidenced by increases in transmural potential difference (PDt), short-circuit current (Isc) and Na+ influx. The change in PDt (delta PDt) induced by Gly-Gly was a saturable function of Gly-Gly concentration, showing a Michaelis-Menten type relationship. The half-saturation concentration for Gly-Gly estimated from the electrical data was nearly identical with that estimated from influx data. At a constant Gly-Gly concentration the relationship between Isc and Na+ concentration was sigmoid, and the Hill coefficient was 1.5. Kinetic analysis according to Garay and Garrahan indicates that each Gly-Gly carrier has two equivalent non-interacting binding sites for Na+, and that translocation of Na+ occurs when the two Na+ sites on the carrier loaded with Gly-Gly are occupied by Na+. However, our results indicate that the resultant Na+ flow is not capable of stimulating Gly-Gly translocation.

A new class of inhibitors for in vitro small intestinal transport of sugars and amino acids in the rat

Polycationic compounds like polylysine, protamine or polyethylenimine may interfere with a cation-related membrane transport system depending on superficially accessible binding sites for particular cations. In vitro experiments were performed using either everted segments of rat small intestine to measure tissue accumulation or everted sacs to determine mucosal-to-serosal transport. The effect of polycations was also tested using brush-border membrane vesicles of rat jejunum. Polycations inhibited the tissue accumulation of methyl alpha-D-glucoside as well as binding of phlorizin. Inhibition of accumulation was increased by raising the polycation concentration and by preincubation of the tissue with the polycations. Kinetic experiments revealed a competitive type of inhibition for the uptake of neutral amino acids and actively transported sugars. Using everted sacs to compare the monomeric cations with their corresponding polymeric forms for their inhibitory effect, it was found that only polymers applied to the mucosal compartment impaired active transport. The passive diffusion of solutes, e.g. 2-deoxy-D-glucose or mannitol, was slightly increased by polycations. With some intermediate oligomers of lysine it could be shown that more than 20 cationic groups are required for approximate complete inhibition. That membrane-related events are responsible for the observed inhibition is suggested by the reduced uptake of D-glucose by brush-border membrane vesicles in the presence of polycations. Therefore an interaction with transport-related cation binding sites, i.e. anionic residues, at the mucosal surface may be assumed.

Effect of a single oral dose of endosulfan on intestinal uptake of nutrients and on brush-border enzymes in rats

The effect of a single oral dose of endosulfan (5 mg/kg body weight) on the uptake of certain nutrients and brush-border enzymes has been studied in rat intestine. The uptake of glucose and alanine was elevated but that of leucine was decreased in endosulfan-fed rats. There was no change in the uptake of phenylalanine and lysine in insecticide-fed rats. The activities of brush-border sucrase and alkaline phosphatase were considerably increased while the activity of Na+ K+ ATPase was reduced in endosulfan-exposed animals. The leucine aminopeptidase activity was unaffected in pesticide-treated rats. There was a significant decrease in cellular LDH and GOT activities with no change in GPT activity. Neither was there a considerable increase in the cellular glucose-6-phosphatase activity (P less than 0.01) in the pesticide-fed rats. These results suggest that endosulfan toxicity induces certain functional changes in the intestine.

Single-site uptake of neutral amino acids into guinea-pig intestinal rings

1. A kinetic analysis of amino acid influx into guinea-pig small intestinal rings has been performed in an attempt to ascertain whether one or more transport sites for these substrates exists in the luminal membrane of the enterocyte. 2. No indirect correction for uptake into the extracellular space was applied, but it was assumed in the analysis that the total uptake included a diffusion term. This procedure was vindicated by the results obtained. 3. All analyses were performed by non-linear regression techniques. In many experiments, both substrate and inhibitor concentrations were varied within the same experiment, thus giving rise to three-dimensional diagrams describing transport processes. 4. All results pointed to the existence of a single transport agency shared by all amino acids tested. The kinetic constants, Km and Vmax, were independent of the concentration range used for their estimation; such behaviour would not be expected if several sites with different kinetic constants were available for transport. The value of KD, the constant describing the diffusive component of uptake, was the same when estimated from the uptake of an amino acid alone or when determined as the asymptote of the curve describing the inhibition of this uptake by an analogue. Finally, the Ki for an amino acid when used as an inhibitor was identical to its Km when used as substrate. This property was maintained even when the most disparate pair of amino acids, threonine and isoleucine, was examined.

Effect of a single oral dose of pp'DDT on the absorption of nutrients in vitro and on brush border enzymes in rat intestine

The effect of a single oral dose of pp'DDT (100 mg/kg body wt.) has been studied on the intestinal uptake of certain nutrients and on brush border enzymes in rats. Intestinal uptake of leucine, and phenylalanine was considerably increased but there was no change in the absorption of glucose and alanine in DDT fed rats, compared to controls. The activities of brush border sucrase, alkaline phosphatase and Na+, K+-ATPase were significantly depressed in pesticide treated animals, but leucine aminopeptidase levels remained unaffected under these conditions. Analysis of the chemical composition of the microvillus membranes revealed a considerable enhancement in total lipids, phospholipids and triglyceride contents of the membranes in DDT exposed rats, but membrane protein, sialic acid and cholesterol fractions did not record any change. 1-14C-acetate incorporation into various lipid classes was studied to explain the observed increase in membrane lipids in DDT exposed animals.

Transport studies and enzyme assays in mice infected with human Giardia lamblia

It is well established that Giardia infection causes malabsorption. However, the precise mechanism of such a malabsorption is not known. To investigate this, transport studies, using the tissue accumulation technique, were carried out in mice infected with G. lamblia obtained from human stools. There was a significant fall in the transport of D-glucose, L-alanine and glycine in the infected animals compared with the controls. Kinetics of the D-glucose and glycine transport system were examined by measuring the tissue uptake in the presence of different concentrations of the substrate. For glucose, the affinity constant (Km) for the transport site was the same (4 . 37mM) in normal and infected animals but the maximal transport rate (V max) was considerably reduced in infected animals (158 . 7 mu moles/hr/g tissue) compared with (357 . 1 microgram moles/hr/g tissue) in controls. Results with glycine were similar; the Km was similar in control and infected animals (5 . 7 mM) whereas the V max was reduced in infected animals (27 . 02 microgram moles/hr/g tissue) compared with controls (45 . 5 micrograms moles/hr/g tissue). Analysis of the intestinal enzymes showed a significant decrease in the levels of brush border sucrase, lactase and alkaline phosphatase in infected animals; the cellular enzymes, LDH, GOT and GPT remained unaffected. The observed aberrations in the transport functions and brush border enzymes suggest that G. lamblia causes malabsorption by damaging the epithelial membrane of the enterocyte.

Acute dieldrin toxicity: effect on the uptake of glucose and leucine and on brush border enzymes in monkey intestine

Administration of a single oral dose of dieldrin (20 mg/kg body wt.) to rhesus monkeys considerably elevated the uptake of glucose and the activities of brush border sucrase, lactase, maltase and alkaline phosphatase in intestine compared to control animals. Leucine uptake and leucine amino peptidase activity was significantly depressed in pesticide-treated animals. Kinetic studies with brush border sucrase revealed that augmentation of enzyme activity in pesticide-fed animals was due to an increase in the disaccharidase content.

Dependence on pH of parameters of lactose transport in Escherichia coli. Evidence for an essential protonated group of the carrier

The kinetic parameters Km and V of transported by the lactose permease of Escherichia coli have been explored in the pH range 4.8--9.2. Besides uphill transport of methylthiogalactoside, two other criteria have been used. Downhill transport of o-nitrophenylgalactoside and substrate protection of the carrier against thiol reagents have both been explored in normal aerated cells and in cells inhibited by cyanide plus azide, therefore unable to build up a proton-motive force. V of the transport processes did not exhibit a major pH dependence that would support an essential protonation. Ktransport for methylthiogalactoside and for o-nitrophenylgalactoside in the energized and in the inhibited state did not show a sharp pH dependence between pH 4.8 and 8.0, but increased between pH 8 and 9, as would be expected if there were an essential protonated group with a pK of 8--8.4, depending on the test utilized. Substrate protection allowed the calculation of a Kprotection which was close to the corresponding Ktransport and was also largely independent of pH between 5 and 8 and independent of energy supply. The role of energization in substrate-carrier binding and the role of the essential protonation in the context of the proton symptom model are discussed.

Structural and functional correlations in the atrophic mucosa of self-emptying blind loops of rat jejunum

Marked atrophy of the mucosa develops in self-emptying blind loops of rat jejunum. The application of microdissection techniques revealed a 74% reduction in the mucosal surface area of the blind loops, 3 weeks after their creation. Kinetic studies of the influx of L-phenylalanine and beta-methyl-D-glucoside into rings of blind loops showed that the Km for both mechanisms was unchanged, but that there was a small reduction in the Vmax for both substrates, when expressed in terms of unit weight of incubated tissue; this attained 31% for phenylalanine and 12% for beta-methyl-glucoside. When the kinetic data were combined with the morphometric results, it could be shown that the Vmax for both substrates, when expressed per unit area of mucosal surface, was more than twice as large in the blind loop epithelium as in normal tissue. Such findings indicate either that the individual cells of the blind loop epithelium possess more transport sites than normal, or that there is a greater proportion of absorptive cells within the blind loop mucosa.