Effects of Dietary Fiber on Fecal Concanavalin A-binding Glycoprotein in Rats

This study investigates the relationship between the dietary components and quantitative changes in fecal concanavalin A-binding glycoprotein (CBGP) derived from small intestinal epithelia in rats. Although fecal CBGP increased with increasing protein content in the diet, the increase in fecal CBGP due to dietary protein was much smaller than that resulting from the addition of pectin, cellulose or Gobo dietary fiber (GDF) to the diet. The increasing effect of 10% GDF by weight added to a 20% casein high-sucrose diet (HSD) on fecal CBGP was the most pronounced without producing any gastrointestinal disorders, whereas that from the addition of pectin to HSD at a level of 5% significantly decreased the intestinal sucrase activity. A similar increase in fecal CBGP was observed when rice bran dietary fiber, carrot dietary fiber, Hiziki or Wakame was added to HSD, but these increasing effects on fecal CBGP were independent of their insoluble-soluble ratio. This and our previous observations suggest that such dietary fiber may prompt the renewal and exfoliation of small intestinal epithelia.