Structural and Hormonal Alterations in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Parenterally Fed Rats

Diamine oxidase (DAO) is an intestinal mucosal enzyme which serves as a marker of cellular maturity and integrity in ontogeny and after mucosal injury in the gastrointestinal tract. Since total parenteral nutrition is known to result in intestinal hypoplasia, this study was done to determine the effect of enteral and parenteral delivery of nutrients on gut structure and DAO levels. Central venous catheters were placed in 27 Sprague-Dawley rats (180-260 g), which received nutrients for 12 days via parenteral nutrition (GpI n = 10), oral intake of the parenteral solution (GpII n = 8), or standard rat chow (GpIII n = 9). Gross and microscopic measurements were made at sacrifice. Mucosal DAO levels were determined by metabolism of [3H] putrescine. Group III animals had a greater caloric intake than groups I and II, and were the only group with a significant increase in body weight. Gut weight, mucosal weight, and villous height were significantly less in group I vs groups II and III; group II values were less than group III (p less than 0.05). Both DAO specific activity and total gut DAO were significantly less in group I and group II. Mucosal DAO content correlated with total gut and mucosal weight. DAO mucosal levels decrease with parenteral nutrition, reflecting the intestinal hypoplasia that occurs. Mucosal DAO content may be dependent on both caloric intake and diet composition. Since serum DAO levels are known to correlate with mucosal DAO content, DAO activity may prove useful as a circulating marker of the effect of nutritional therapy on the intestinal mucosa.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Intestinal structure and function is influenced by the route of delivery of nutrients, caloric intake, and composition of the diet. [11][12][13][14] Since total parenteral nutrition is known to result in intestinal hypoplasia, we performed this study to determine the effect of enteral and parenteral delivery of nutrients on gut structure and DAO levels.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of the route of nutrient delivery on gut structure and diamine oxidase levels

Thompson

Vaughan²,

Forst³

et al. 1987

“…Speculation such as &dquo;maintenance of intestinal mucosa during parenteral feeding is related to the presence of adequate quantities of dietary glutamine, not nitrogen,&dquo; may be incorrectly generalized to humans. 15,26,41 Future studies should now be directed toward addressing the intestinal morphologic and functional changes inhumans after TPN. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A portion of the data has been published previously in abstract form (Transplantation Proceedings 26:1457, 1994 and Gastroenterology 104:A612, 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parenteral Nutrition Is Associated With Intestinal Morphologic and Functional Changes in Humans

Buchman

Moukarzel

Bhuta

et al. 1995

377

170

Intestinal morphologic and functional changes occur in human for whom TPN is the sole nutritional source, although the findings in humans are substantially less significant than observed in animal models. The loss of mucosal structure may be sufficient to cause increased intestinal permeability, the clinical significance of which remains to be defined. Enteral nutrition is important in restoring and probably preventing morphologic intestinal changes associated with TPN, and a peptide and free amino acid-based formula supplemented with glutamine and arginine may have some added role. Our findings also suggest sepsis is associated with gut adaptation rather than degradation.

“…In several animal models of TPN, the intestinal epithelium shows a loss of villus height and a decline in epithelial growth. 1,25 This onset of hypoplasia and hypofunction could occur as early as after 3 days of TPN in rats and 1 to 2 weeks in mice and humans. 26 In our studies, atrophy, as shown by a loss of villus height, occurred in mice within 7 days of TPN.…”

Section: November-december 2002mentioning

confidence: 99%

Keratinocyte growth factor stimulates the recovery of epithelial structure and function in a mouse model of total parenteral nutrition

Yang¹,

Wildhaber²,

Tazuke³

et al. 2002