Abstract
Spectral characteristics of the fluorescent probe diphenyl-hexatriene (DPH) were studied in enterocyte brush border membranes (BBM) of rats ranging from fetal life to adulthood. Postnatal effects of glucocorticoids were studied by administering 50 mg/kg hydrocortisone (H) t.i.d. × 3 d with sacrifice at 14 days. Antenatal effects were determined by the administration of 0.4 mg/kg dexamethasone (D) b.i.d. to 20 day old pregnant rats for 2 days with sacrifice and analysis at 22 days gestation. Probe characteristics were studied between 40°C and 12°C in each preparation. Enrichment in maltase activity from homogenate to final brush border pellet was used to determine purity of membranes. Microviscosity curves were shifted upward in the more mature animals and in those administered glucocorticoids, indicating a more “rigid” membrane in these animals, as follows:
These suggest a glucocorticoid mediated acceleration in small intestinal enterocyte maturation in the infant and fetus and may be related to a lower incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in infants whose mothers have been administered glucocorticoids.
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Neu, J., Ozaki, C., Crim, W. et al. 293 DEXAMETHASONE ACCELERATES SMALL INTESTINAL ENTEROCYTE MEMBRANE MATURATION. Pediatr Res 19, 159 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00323
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00323