title: Prostaglandin E2 accelerates enzymatic and morphological maturation of the small intestine in suckling rats.
abstract: The effect of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) injection on the postnatal maturation of the 16-day-old rodent small intestine was studied. Previous studies have shown that 16,16-dimethyl PGE2 induced several morphological and biochemical parameters in the small intestine of 11-day-old rats. PGE2 was given subcutaneously daily at doses of 2 and 4 mg/kg body weight on postnatal days 11-15. After treatment there was a rise in the mean activities of sucrase, maltase, lactase and aminopeptidase. In rats receiving 4 mg/kg PGE2, sucrase activity was strongly stimulated (p < 0.001) in the proximal and the distal small bowel. In the duodenum, PGE2 treatment (4 mg/kg body weight) produced a significant increase in crypt depth (35%, p < 0.001), although villus height was not modified. Serum corticosterone levels were significantly increased in PGE2-treated rats. The results seem to indicate that PGE2 accelerates enzymatic and morphological intestinal maturation and this effect could be mediated by an increase in corticosterone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Otero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D043322:Lactase; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013393:Sucrase / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D043322:Lactase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D013393:Sucrase; D015232:Dinoprostone; D003345:Corticosterone