We examined the effect of neonatal undernutrition on protein digestive and absorptive function of newborn rat intestine. Eight pups were reared in a litter in the control group, while 16 pups in the undernourished group were reared for 1 week commencing at the age of 2 days, and then 8 pups were reared as a litter. Protein digestive activity of intestinal lumen (proteolytic activity), the protein absorptive function (pinocytotic activity) by using everted small intestinal sac, and cathepsin B activity of intestinal mucosa and liver were measured at 2, 9, 16 and 23 days in control and undernourished pups. The proteolytic activity of 9, 16, and 23 day old pups were 7.6, 177.3, 530.6 (μg trypsin equivalent/ml) in the control group, respectively. However, the value of undernourished group showed decreases compared with those in the control group (70.3, 46.8 and 98.5% of each opposit control) . The mucosal uptake amount of RI labeled BSA at 9 and 16 days were increased significantly in the undernourished group (5.6, 1.9 times of control), but the amount of that at 23 days was not significantly different from control. On the other hand, that of RI labeled BLG was more increased compared with each opposit control (69.6, 2.3, 3.4 times) . The cathepsin B activity (U/mg protein/min) of the control liver at 9, 16, 23 days showed 10.4, 18.1, 9.7. The activity of the undernourished group was significantly declined on these days (7.9, 10.0, 7.1) . While, that of intestinal mucosa groups showed significant decreases compared with those in the control group at 9 and 16 days (4.4, 4.3), but significant increases (2 times the control value) at 23 days. These studies suggest that neonatal undernutrition may have unfavorable influences on the subsequent development of protein digestive and absorptive function, and may be a factor in development of future allergic desease.
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