Ethanol intake inhibits growth of the epithelium in the intestine of pregnant rats.
The effects of ethanol ingestion on jejunal and ileal epithelial cells were studied in pregnant rats by measuring crypt and villus cell population, crypt cell proliferation, and crypt cell cycle time as parameters. Timed-pregnancy female rats were fed a liquid diet containing either ethanol [designated as ethanol-fed group (EFG)] or an isocaloric amount of carbohydrate [designated as pair-fed group (PFG)] from gestational day 2 up to delivery. Daily diet ingestion, body weight, nitrogen balance, and nitrogen digestibility were assessed during the gestational period. Crypt and villus cell population, crypt cell proliferation, and crypt cell cycle time were measured in the maternal small intestine at the time animals were killed, just after delivery. Ethanol consumption resulted in ileal hypoplasia of the crypt and villus, but only the villus showed hypoplasia in the jejunum. In addition, crypt cell proliferation was markedly decreased, whereas crypt cell cycle time was longer, both in the jejunum and ileum of the EFG. Ethanol ingestion had no significant effect on body weight gain, nitrogen balance, and nitrogen digestibility. According to our expectations, the offspring from the EFG had significantly lower body weight. In conclusion, chronic ethanol ingestion during pregnancy inhibited the maternal intestinal epithelium growth, more extensively in the ileum.
Peres
Wilza A F
WA
Division of Nutrition and Metabolism, University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, CEP: 21931-590, Brazil.
Carmo
Maria G T
MG
Zucoloto
Sérgio
S
Iglesias
Antonio C
AC
Braulio
Valeria B
VB
D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002452:Cell Count; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007082:Ileum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol