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Neurotensin prevents intestinal mucosal hypoplasia in rats fed an elemental diet

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Abstract

Liquid elemental diets are associated with mucosal hypoplasia of both the small intestine and colon. Neurotensin, a tridecapeptide widely distributed in the gut, is trophic for the small intestine of rats fed a normal chow diet. The purpose of this study was to determine whether neurotensin could reverse the hypoplasia of intestinal mucosa that is associated with feeding a liquid elemental diet. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into five groups. Four groups were fed (for seven days) a glutamine-free liquid elemental diet. Subcutaneuos injection of saline (control) or neurotensin (33, 100, or 300 μg/kg) were given to the groups of rats every 8 hr for seven days. Group five (Chow) received rat chowad libitum for seven days. Rats were killed on day 8, and the proximal jejunum, distal ileum, and proximal colon removed. Mucosal weight, DNA, RNA, and protein contents were determined. Neurotensin (300 μg/kg) increased the cellularity of the small intestinal mucosa and reversed mucosal hypoplasia due to an elemental diet; a more pronounced effect was noted in the jejunum compared to the ileum. Neurotensin (33 and 100 μg/kg) increased mucosal DNA content in the jejunum but was not effective in reversing the hypoplasia. Neurotensin had no effect on growth of colonic mucosa. These results suggest that neurotensin may be an important trophic hormone for the small intestine. Administration of neurotensin may alleviate hypoplasia of the small bowel mucosa and maintain functional integrity of the gut during prolonged feeding of an elemental diet.

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Author notes

  1. Masaaki Izukura MD

    Present address: First Department of Surgery, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 77550, Galveston, Texas

    B. Mark Evers MD,  Masaaki Izukura MD, Courtney M. Townsend Jr MD, Tatsuo Uchida MS & James C. Thompson MD

  2. Office of Academic Computing and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas

    B. Mark Evers MD,  Masaaki Izukura MD, Courtney M. Townsend Jr MD, Tatsuo Uchida MS & James C. Thompson MD

Authors
  1. B. Mark Evers MD
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  2. Masaaki Izukura MD
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  3. Courtney M. Townsend Jr MD
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  4. Tatsuo Uchida MS
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  5. James C. Thompson MD
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Additional information

Supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (5R37DK 15241-17, P01 DK 35608), the American Cancer Society (PDT-220), and the National Cancer Institute (CA 17701).

A preliminary report has appeared inSurgical Forum (1).

Dr. Evers is a recipient of an American Surgical Association Foundation Fellowship Award.

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Evers, B.M., Izukura, M., Townsend, C.M. et al. Neurotensin prevents intestinal mucosal hypoplasia in rats fed an elemental diet. Digest Dis Sci 37, 426–431 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01307738

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01307738

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