title: Adaptation of rabbit small intestinal brush-border membrane enzymes after extensive bowel resection.
abstract: Short lengths of small intestine may be resected without significantly affecting the digestive and absorptive capacity; however, extensive resection produces varying degrees of malnutrition. This study was undertaken to define the adaptive changes in the remaining small intestine of two of the jejunal and ileal mucosal brush-border membrane enzymes after extensive small bowel resection in rabbits. Thirty adult New Zealand White rabbits underwent a 50% to 60% jejuno-ileal-enterectomy with end-to-end anastomosis. Maltase activity (UE/g protein) increased from 152 (preoperative) to 392 at 3 weeks in the proximal segment and from 85 to 259 in the distal segment; these levels decreased to 222 and 155 in the respective segments at 6 weeks. AOP activity (UE/g protein) increased from 154 (preoperative) to 171 in the proximal segment and 171 to 256 in the distal segment at 3 weeks, and was 131 and 288 in the respective segments at 6 weeks. This marked increase in the mucosal brush-border enzymatic activities at 3 weeks postoperatively was associated with a 28% increase in bowel length. By 6 weeks the enzyme levels had decreased slightly; however, there was a persistent 41% increase in bowel length over that immediately postoperation. The mucosal surface area increased from 295 mm2 immediately postoperation to 5,337 mm2 at 3 weeks and 7,635 mm2 at 6 weeks, a 250% increase. The authors conclude that there is an immediate compensatory increase in villus length as well as brush-border enzymatic expression in the remaining intestine that gradually declines as the small intestinal surface area continues to increase and the bowel lengthens with time.
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D018826:CD13 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D007082:Ileum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007583:Jejunum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D018826:CD13 Antigens