Abstract
In children and in growing rats, NID produces intestinal malabsorption of carbohydrates by decreasing the activity of jejunal disaccharidases. Crypt cell surface membrane glycoproteins such as the secretory component (SC) of immunoglobulins are also depressed. To clarify, the mechanism(s) by which NID affects these intestinal functions, suckling rats made iron deficient in utero were studied at day 12 after birth. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of purified jejunal brush border showed that the protein band corresponding to lactase was virtually absent as was the incorporation of D-[lC14]-glucosamine into lactase protein (3315 ± 302 controls vs 140 ± 10 cpm.mg prot.-1, NID, p<001). In a second experiment, rats with NID were studied after weaning (day 28). Measuring SC concentration into subcellular fractions of isolated jejunal cells, we found similar differences of SC content in the cytosol fraction (1.2 ± 0.3 vs 5.65 ± 1.2 μg.g.tissue-1, p<0.05) and in the brush border (0.7 ± 0.1 vs 3.58 ± 0.6 μg.g.tissue-1, p<0.05) between iron deficient rats and controls. Conclusion: These data indicate that NID affects the synthesis of intestinal brush border glycoproteins rather than the intracellular transport or the final membrane assembly of these proteins.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buts, J., Delacroix, D., Craeker, F. et al. NUTRITIONAL IRON DEFICIENCY (NID) DELAYS THE MATURATION OF INTESTINAL ABSORPTIVE FUNCTIONS BY ALTERATION OF SURFACE MEMBRANE GLYCOPROTEIN SYNTHESIS. Pediatr Res 18, 801 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198408000-00061
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198408000-00061