Stimulation of Disaccharidase Activities in the Jejunal Brush Border Membrane of Adult Rat by Total Parenteral Nutrition

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Abstract
Morphological and functional adaptations were examined in the jejunum of adult rats fed totally by parenteral nutrition during a 4-day period. Comparison was made with sham-operated animals receiving orally a similar isocaloric diet. The i.v. fed rats exhibited a 20% shortening of the villus height. The specific activity of aminopeptidase showed remarkable stability in all conditions. A major stimulation (2.5-fold) was measured for lactase-specific activity. Daily administration of thyroxine completely inhibited the rise of lactase activity. Thyroidectomy caused a significant increase of lactase activity in the orally fed controls, but did not exert any synergistic effect with parenteral nutrition on intestinal enzyme activities. In these experimental conditions i.v. feeding led to a 3-fold decrase in the concentration of thyroid hormones detected in the serum. Total parenteral nutrition leads to the stimulation of the specific activity of brush border lactase in the intestine of adult rat which might be related to the level of thyroid hormones.