Biochemical intestinal parameters in germ-free minipigs and rats and in ex-germ-free minipigs and rats monoassociated with Escherichia coli.
Intestinal contents of newborn and young germ-free minipigs and germ-free rats were investigated for the following biochemical parameters - conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol, degradation of beta-aspartylglycine, level of tryptic activity, formation of urobilinogen and the profile of short-chain fatty acids. Additionally, germ-free minipigs and germ-free rats were monoassociated with non-pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli and were investigated for the same biochemical parameters. The conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol, degradation of beta-aspartylglycine, tryptic activity and the short-chain fatty acid profile were similar to those found in previous studies in germ-free animals. Slightly higher amounts of urobilinogen than in the other species investigated so far were found in samples from germ-free and monoassociated minipigs. Except for the total amount of short-chain fatty acids in rats, monoassociation with E. coli did not alter any of the parameters either in the minipigs or in the rats.
Cardona
M E
ME
Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Kozakova
H
H
Collinder
E
E
Persson
A-K
AK
Midtvedt
T
T
Norin
E
E
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004064:Digestive System / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000378:metabolism*; D014357:Trypsin / Q000378:metabolism; D014558:Urobilinogen / Q000378:metabolism
D004151:Dipeptides; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D014558:Urobilinogen; C018459:beta-aspartylglycine; D002784:Cholesterol; D014357:Trypsin