BRUSH-BORDER ENZYMES IN EVALUATION OF ACUTE SMALL-BOWEL REJECTION

The change in activity of three disaccharidase enzymes (maltase, sucra se and lactase) was determined according to the method of Dahlqvist du ring acute rejection in non-immunosuppressed piglet small bowel grafts . In addition, two brush border enzymes, lactase and aminopeptidase, w ere stained with monoclonal antibodies. Diminishing disaccharidase act ivity was an early event during rejection. Diminution began 2 days bef ore distinct morphological changes were seen in the mucosal biopsies, Evaluation of disaccharidase activity can thus be used as a confirmato ry method in detecting rejection. Reduction in immunohistological stai ning of lactase and aminopeptidase with monoclonal antibodies and chan ges in mucosal morphology were observed to progress simultaneously.