Korean J Gastroenterol.
1999 Feb;33(2):202-210.
The Effectof Glucocorticoid on Rat Intestinal Disaccharidase Activitiesduring Early Postnatal Period
Abstract
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BACKGROUND/AIMS: We performed this study to examine the effects of dexamethasone (DEX) and propylthiouracil (PTU) on the developmental changes of rat intestinal disaccharidases activities.
METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups, control (0.9% NaCl 0.01 mL/g body wt/d), DEX, PTU, and DEX ?PTU groups. Dexamethasone (0.4 microgram/g body wt/d, day 8-day 22) was injected intraperitoneally. Propylthiouracil (0.01 g/100 mL) was administered to infant rats via drinking water of the dam (beginning gestational day 15). The activities of lactase and sucrase in the proximal and distal part of small intestine were measured on the 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th and 23rd day after birth.
RESULTS
In control group, the sucrase activity began to increase from the 18th day afte birth and reached at the level of adults (48 mU/mg protein) on the 23rd day. In the DEX group, th sucrase activity began to increase upto 67 mU/mg protein on the 12th day and such high activity wa maintained in the proximal small intestine. On the other hand, in PTU group, the sucrase activity wa low until day 23. In DEX plus PTU group, the results was similar to those in DEX group. Fo lactase, the DEX group did not elicit precocious maturation in proximal and distal small intestine
CONCLUSIONS
Dexamethasone induces precocious maturation of sucrase activity during early postnatal period, but it does not elicit precocious decline of lactase activity. These effects of dexamethasone in the maturation of rat intestinal enzymes seem to be independent of thyroid hormone effect.
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