Cortisol increases the activities of intestinal apical membrane hydrolases and nutrient transporters before weaning in mink (Mustela vison)

Abstract

Glucocorticoids from endogenous and exogenous sources accelerate maturation of brush-border membrane (BBM) hydrolases in omnivorous laboratory rodents and pigs. Less is known for carnivores, and whether the route of administration (oral or systemic) has an influence. The present study examined the influence of administering cortisol (hydrocortisone succinate, 5 mg/kg-day) to mink during postnatal week 4, just prior to weaning, on small intestine glucose and amino acid (aspartate, leucine, lysine, methionine, proline) absorption and on the activities of BBM disaccharidases and peptidases. Kits treated with cortisol were smaller (P<0.05), but had small intestines that were proportionally larger (P<0.05 for length and mass per kg body weight, but not for mucosal mass) than control kits with higher rates of absorption for most nutrients, except leucine, and increased activities of most BBM hydrolases, except lactase. As a consequence, cortisol increased hydrolytic and absorptive capacities of the entire small intestine, with the responses more pronounced when the cortisol was given orally. These findings indicate administration of cortisol stimulates growth of the developing mink small intestine, but does not accelerate the postnatal declines in nutrient transport, and may be a dam-to-kit signal that prepares suckling mink to digest and absorb the adult diet.

Effect of Quercetin on the Intestinal Carbohydrases Activity in the Offspring of the Lead Intoxicated Mother

“…After treatment of rats with lead acetate, it was noted an increase in blood corticosteroid level 14 and an opposite decrease in serum levels of T3 and T4 15 . It is believed that the steroid and thyroid hormones play a decisive role in the development of intestinal disaccharidase activity [16][17][18] . Administration of steroid hormones or stress causes an increase in the activity of maltase, sucrase, and other disaccharidases in suckling rats 17,18 .…”

“…It is believed that the steroid and thyroid hormones play a decisive role in the development of intestinal disaccharidase activity [16][17][18] . Administration of steroid hormones or stress causes an increase in the activity of maltase, sucrase, and other disaccharidases in suckling rats 17,18 . So, it can be assumed that the increase in maltase activity is associated with lead-induced changes blood concentration of corticosteroids in sucklings.…”

Digestive flexibility in females of the subterranean rodent ctenomys talarum in their natural habitat

“…up and down regulation) of different enzyme complexes could be occurring in females of C. talarum , which in turn also suggest the possible occurrence of adjustments in regulatory pathways. In mammals, the activity and synthesis of digestive enzyme are regulated by ontogenic factors and several hormones (Baslev‐Clausen et al, 2003; Debray et al, 2003; Elnif et al, 2006; Warzecha et al, 2006). Whether the modulation of disaccharidase activities in small intestine of C. talarum females is due to either activation/deactivation of preexistent enzyme or synthesis or degradation of enzymes as well as the regulatory pathways probably involved requires further investigation.…”