The worldwide prevalence of metabolic diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes shows an upward trend in recent decades. A characteristic feature of these diseases is hyperglycemia which can be associated with hyperphagia. Absorption of glucose in the small intestine physiologically contributes to the regulation of blood glucose levels, and hence, appears as a putative target for treatment of hyperglycemia. In fact, recent progress in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of glucose absorption in the gut and its reabsorption in the kidney helped to develop a new strategy of diabetes treatment. Changes in blood glucose levels are also involved in regulation of appetite, suggesting that glucose absorption may be relevant to hyperphagia in metabolic diseases. In this review we discuss the mechanisms of glucose absorption in the small intestine in physiological conditions and their alterations in metabolic diseases as well as their relevance to the regulation of appetite. The key role of SGLT1 transporter in intestinal glucose absorption in both physiological conditions and in diabetes was clearly established. We conclude that although inhibition of small intestinal glucose absorption represents a valuable target for the treatment of hyperglycemia, it is not always suitable for the treatment of hyperphagia. In fact, independent regulation of glucose absorption and appetite requires a more complex approach for the treatment of metabolic diseases.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are often used for prevention and treatment of dysbiosis. However, the action of various strains of LAB on metabolism and digestion under these conditions are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of probiotic LAB on metabolism, digestion and microbiota in animals with dysbiosis. After administration of ampicillin and metronidazole male Wistar rats, were fed products containing Enterococcus faecium L3 (E.f.), Lactobacillus fermentum Z (L.f.) or milk (control 1). Animals in control group 2 were fed milk, after water instead of antibiotics. Dyspeptic symptoms disappeared after administration of probiotic compared with control 1. At the end of the experiment, an increase in the content of enterococci and lactobacilli in the proximal part of the small intestine was found in the animals treated with E.f. and L.f., respectively. After the introduction of probiotic enterococci, the quantity of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the intestines of rats increased, and the content of Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli decreased in comparison with the control group 1 and the group fed lactobacilli. The activity of alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase was greater in blood serum of rats with dysbiosis receiving milk and lactobacilli. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity increased in the epithelium and chyme in the jejunum of the animals treated with L. f. and in the chyme only in the animals treated with E. f. Thus, the specific effects of different strains of probiotic LAB on the microbiota, and on metabolism and digestion of various nutrients were demonstrated.

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The distribution of cytoskeleton elements (microtubules and actin filaments) and glucose trans porters SGLT1 or GLUT2 in enterocyte of rat intestine and Caco2 cells during hexose absorption was stud ied. Confocal microscopy revealed that the distribution of SGLT1 and GLUT2 transporters in absorptive cells of the intestinal villus was altered depending on maltose concentration. The transporters were colocal ized with actin. An increased number of vesicles close to microtubules in the apical cell part during absorption of high hexoze concentration was observed with electron microscopy. This observation, as well as uncovered colocalization of the transporters and actin, as well as actin and α tubulin, suggests that elements of the cytoskeleton participate in the translocation of glucose transporters to the apical cell membrane.