MEASUREMENT OF PROTEIN-TURNOVER IN THE SMALL-INTESTINE OF LAMBS .2. EFFECTS OF FEED-INTAKE

This study used an experimental model, described in a companion paper, to examine the effects of feed intake on protein turnover in the smal l intestine of lambs. Ten male castrate lambs (similar to 10 months ol d) were offered, via continuous feeders, either 400 (n = 5) or 1200 (n = 5) g/day lucerne chaff, and mean experimental liveweights were 28 a nd 33 kg respectively. All lambs were prepared with catheters in the c ranial mesenteric vein (CMV), femoral artery (FA), jugular vein and ab omasum, and a blood flow probe around the CMV. Cr-EDTA (0 . 139 mg Cr/ ml, similar to 0 . 2 ml/min) was infused abomasally for 24 h and L-[2, 6-H-3]phenylalanine (Phe) (420 +/- 9 . 35 mu Ci into the abomasum) and L-[U-C-14]phenyl- alanine (49 . 6 +/- 3 . 59 mu Ci into the jugular v ein) were also infused during the last 8 h. Blood from the CMV and FA was sampled during the isotope infusions. At the end of infusions, lam bs were killed and tissue (n = 4) and digesta (n = 2) samples removed from the small intestine (SI) of each animal. Transfers of labelled an d unlabelled Phe were measured between SI tissue, its lumen and blood, enabling both fractional and absolute rates of protein synthesis and gain to be estimated. Total SI mass increased significantly with feed intake (P < 0 . 05), although not on a liveweight basis. Fractional ra tes of protein gain in the SI tended to increase (P = 0 . 12) with fee d intake; these rates were -16 . 2(+/-13 . 7) and 23 . 3 (+/-15 . 2)% per day in lambs offered 400 and 1200 g/day respectively. Mean protein synthesis and fractional synthesis rates (FSR), calculated from the m ean retention of C-14 and H-3 in SI tissue, were both positively affec ted by feed intake (0 . 01 < P < 0 . 05). The choice of free Phe pool for estimating precursor specific radioactivity (SRA) for protein synt hesis had a major effect on FSR. Assuming that tissue free Phe SRA rep resented precursor SRA, mean FSR were 81 (+/-15) and 145 (+/-24)% per day in lambs offered 400 and 1200 g/day respectively. Corresponding es timates for free Phe SRA in the FA and CMV were 28(+/-2 . 9) and 42 (/-3 . 5)% per day on 400 g/day, and 61 (+/-2 . 9) and 94(+/-6 . 0) on 1200 g/day. The correct value for protein synthesis was therefore in d oubt, although indirect evidence suggested that blood SRA (either FA o r CMV) may be closest to true precursor SRA. This evidence included (i ) comparison with flooding dose estimates of FSR, (ii) comparison of H -3:C-14 Phe SRA in free Phe pools with this ratio in SI protein, and ( iii) the proportion of SI energy use associated with protein synthesis . Using the experimental model, the proportion of small intestinal pro tein synthesis exported was estimated as 0 . 13-0 . 27 (depending on t he choice of precursor) and was unaffected by feed intake. The contrib ution of the small intestine to whole body protein synthesis tended to be higher in lambs offered 1200 g/day (0 . 21) than in those offered 400 g/day (0 . 13). The data obtained in this study suggested a role f or the small intestine in modulating amino acid supply with changes in feed intake. At high intake (1200 g/day), the small intestine increas es in mass and CMV uptake of amino acids is less than absorption from the lumen, while at low intake (400 g/day), this organ loses mass and CMV uptake of amino acids exceeds that absorbed. The implications of t hese findings are discussed.