Effects of short-term insulin deficiency on lipogenesis and cholesterol synthesis in rat small intestine and liver in vivo.

The rate of lipogenesis in rat intestine increased on oral glucose loading and decreased after induction of acute insulin deficiency with streptozotocin. The latter effects could be partially reversed by administration of insulin. Parallel changes in the rate of lipogenesis were found in liver. In contrast, insulin deficiency did not alter the rate of cholesterol synthesis in intestine, but decreased it in liver. The physiological significance of the regulation of intestinal lipogenesis by insulin is discussed.     

Compensatory and adaptive changes in the heart after pulmonary resection (morphometric analysis)

The experiment has been performed in 124 non-inbred dogs by means of a complex of morphometrical methods in order to study compensatory-adaptive processes in the heart after pulmonary resection various in its volume. After 58% resection, and especially after 67-75% resection of the lung mass, a stable pulmonary arterial hypertension appears; it results in development of a chronic cor pulmonale and terminates in its decompensation. Application of extrapulmonary arterio-venous anastomosis, before 67-75% of the pulmonary parenchyma is resected, decreases hypertension in the pulmonary circulation, improves adaptive changes of the heart in the newly formed conditions of hemodynamics, preventing development of its failure.     

Morphologic changes in the liver as affected by small intestine fistulae

Rat experiments have revealed the relationship between the liver pathomorphosis and the small-intestinal fistulae situated at various levels (high, low, or medium-height). Vacuolar dystrophy of the hepatocytes was found to be the major pathology in fistulae of the small intestine.     

Compensatory responses after unilateral ovariectomy in rabbits

Compensatory ovarian and gonadotropic responses to unilateral ovariectomy (ULO) were examined in the rabbit doe, an induced ovulator. On Days 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15 and 20 after ULO, ovaries from 3 hemiovariectomized does and 1 sham-hemiovariectomized doe were examined macro- and microscopically for number, size and signs of atresia of follicles. The number of surface follicles increased initially to 7 or 8 follicles 2 days after ULO, followed by an increase to 10 or more follicles by Day 15 (control ovaries had 5.7 +/- 0.4 follicles). Total numbers of antral follicles and the proportion of follicles which were atretic did not vary relative to day after ULO. However, distributions of antral follicles in classes of 0.2-mm increments were significantly different between sham-ovariectomized and hemiovariectomized does after Day 2 due to shifts of follicles into larger size classes. Peripheral serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), but not luteinizing hormone (LH), increased temporarily during the 48 h after ULO. Follicular compensation after ULO in the doe entailed nonlinear increases in numbers of preovulatory follicles, due to increased growth within the antral population of follicles, probably the result of an acute surge of FSH. A period of more than 10 days was necessary to restore the number of preovulatory follicles after ULO. Exogenous human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) induced ovulation of recruited follicles.     

A cholesterol-free, high-fat diet suppresses gene expression of cholesterol transporters in murine small intestine

Transporters present in the epithelium of the small intestine determine the efficiency by which dietary and biliary cholesterol are taken up into the body and thus control whole-body cholesterol balance. Niemann-Pick C1 Like Protein 1 (Npc1l1) transports cholesterol into the enterocyte, whereas ATP-binding cassette transporters Abca1 and Abcg5/Abcg8 are presumed to be involved in cholesterol efflux from the enterocyte toward plasma HDL and back into the intestinal lumen, respectively. Abca1, Abcg5, and Abcg8 are well-established liver X receptor (LXR) target genes. We examined the effects of a high-fat diet on expression and function of cholesterol transporters in the small intestine in mice. Npc1l1, Abca1, Abcg5, and Abcg8 were all downregulated after 2, 4, and 8 wk on a cholesterol-free, high-fat diet. The high-fat diet did not affect biliary cholesterol secretion but diminished fractional cholesterol absorption from 61 to 42% (P < 0.05). In an acute experiment in which triacylglycerols of unsaturated fatty acids were given by gavage, we found that this downregulation occurs within a 6-h time frame. Studies in LXRalpha-null mice, confirmed by in vitro data, showed that fatty acid-induced downregulation of cholesterol transporters is LXRalpha independent and associated with a posttranslational increase in 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase activity that reflects induction of cholesterol biosynthesis as well as with a doubling of neutral fecal sterol loss. This study highlights the induction of adaptive changes in small intestinal cholesterol metabolism during exposure to dietary fat.     

The blood microcirculatory bed of the small intestine, liver and pancreas after resection of the stomach and small intestine

As demonstrate the experiments performed on dogs and rats, after surgical intervention to the stomach and small intestine, other organs of the digestive system experience an increased functional loading, that results in noticeable changes in the intraorganic blood vessels and the blood microcirculatory bed organs. The course of the compensatory processes occurs with a definite regularity--as stages. The first stage is characterized with a predominance of the pathological reactions over the compensatory ones, in the second stage certain compensatory possibilities of the organism are noted. In the third stage the compensatory-adaptive reactions prevail over the pathological processes in the blood vessels and blood microcirculatory bed.     

Circadian rhythm of cholesterol biosynthesis: dietary regulation in the liver and small intestine of hamsters.

Sixty three hamsters were divided into two groups which were exposed to the same rigid lighting schedule (06(00)--18(00)) but fed at different time intervals (18(00)--22(00), and 08(00)--12(00), respectively) for five weeks. The cholesterol synthetic activity was then determined in liver, gastrointestinal tract, and kidney by in vivo incorporation of (1--14C)-acetate into cholesterol at different hours of the day. A remarkable circadian rhythm of the activity was found in the liver and small intestine, but not in other organs. Regardless of the lighting schedule, the nadir occurred, in both groups, always at the end of the fasting period and the peak four to six hours after feeding. The study clearly indicated the major role of diet in regulation of such phenomenon.     

The role of the duodenum in adaptive changes in sucrose digestion in the small intestine of chicks

In two experimental series in situ applying perfusion technique, and in vitro, the role of the duodenum in adaptation of sucrose digestion was investigated in the proximal, medial and distal parts of the chick small intestine. No adaptive changes occurred in hydrolysis and carbohydrate transport if the pancreo-duodenal complex was isolated from the lower parts. It is suggested that on feeding with sucrose, factors arise in the duodenal mucosa causing adaptive changes in sucrase activity of the small intestine.     

Structural changes in the small intestine wall and its lymphatic bed after gastrectomy

Morphologically and histochemically structural changes of the small intestine wall and its lymphatic bed have been studied in 104 dogs after the stomach resection. After the operation an increase in the diameter of the lymphatic capillaries and vessels takes place. Lateral dilatations and protrusions in the capillary walls appear, new anastomoses in all the membranes are formed, they are mostly manifested in the mucous membrane. Histopathological rearrangement in the small intestine wall is demonstrated as edema of the mucous membrane, as plethora of the vessels, as lymphoid infiltration and as changes of the villi forms.     

Prolonged changes in hormonal homeostasis after brief circulatory arrest in the small intestine

It has been established that temporary cessation of blood circulation in the rat small intestine induces alterations in the levels of thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones. These alterations are of the wavy character and can be traced up to 2 weeks after the operation that correlates with duration of previously found functional biochemical, and morphological changes.     

Dietary cholesterol lowers liver copper in rabbits

Atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia have been produced in rabbits since 1913 by feeding them cholesterol. These experiments have a great influence on current thinking about the etiology and possible prevention of ischemic heart disease. Male, New Zealand White rabbits were fed 0.5% dietary cholesterol. Cholesterol and copper in plasma increased sixty-fold and 50%, respectively. Liver copper decreased 74% and hematocrit decreased 25%. Iron was unchanged in heart and liver, but was increased in kidney. Zinc was decreased in heart, but was unchanged in liver or kidney. Changes in organ iron and zinc were smaller than the decrease in liver copper. Similar experiments with higher doses of dietary cholesterol may have resulted in copper deficiency. It may be appropriate to revise interpretations of data from these experiments and to reformulate hypothesis based on the data. Results are consonant with the theoretical implication of copper metabolism and copper deficiency in the etiology and pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease.     

Morphofunctional changes in the endocrine system of the small intestine after its proximal resection

The influence of 50% proximal resection of the small intestine on the intestinal endocrine system was investigated on white male rats. The quantitative changes of argyrophil and argentaffin cells correlated with their secretory activity changes. The opposite character of secretory function synchronization was revealed on the 7th and 30th days along the length of the small intestine (proximo-distal sinusoid phenomenon). The secretory function normalization of the endocrine system is carried out in the distal and proximal direction along the length of the small intestine.     

Age-related changes in antioxidant enzyme activities in the small intestine and liver from Wistar rats.

The present study was designed to determine age-related changes in intestinal and hepatic antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and lipid peroxidation in male Wistar rats (n = 8) aged 2 wk, 2.5 mon, 5 mon, 10 mon, and 23 mon. In the small intestine, cytosolic SOD, GSH-PX activities and lipid peroxidation were not affected by age, but intestinal GST activity was noticeably enhanced as age increased. In particular, intestinal GST activity in 23 mon old rats was 3 times as strong as that in 2 wk old rats. In the liver, the activity of hepatic cytosolic SOD was not affected by age, whereas GSH-PX and GST activities in rats aged 10 mon and 23 mon were much stronger than those in rats aged 2 wk, 2.5 mon, and 5 mon. The increased lipid peroxidation in 2.5 mon and 5 mon old rats was observed when compared with that of other groups. It is therefore concluded from the results presented here that age greatly increases GST activity in the small intestinal mucosae and increasing GSH-PX, GST activities and lipid peroxidation in the liver from male Wistar rats.