EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR SELECTIVELY ENHANCES FUNCTIONAL ENTEROCYTE ADAPTATION AFTER MASSIVE SMALL-BOWEL RESECTION

After massive small bowel resection, the intestine adapts to compensat e. In addition to proliferation, enterocytes also undergo selective fu nctional adaptation. In this study we examined the effect of intraperi toneal administration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the expressi on of the brush border dissacharidase sucrase, the sodium glucose cotr ansporter (SGLT1), and the sodium-potassium ATPase pump (NaK ATPase) b y enterocytes in the remnant intestine after massive small bowel resec tion. Adult Lewis rats underwent either ileal transection or 70% proxi mal intestinal resection. These animals were subdivided into groups th at received either saline or EGF intraperitoneally for 1 week. Ilea fr om each group were harvested 4 weeks postoperatively. Enterocytes were separated from these segments by calcium chelation. The total protein from the isolated cells was subjected to Western blot analysis. Admin istration of EGF to animals that underwent transection did not signifi cantly alter the expression of sucrase, SGLT1, or NaK ATPase. After in testinal resection, the expressions of sucrase and SGLT1 were signific antly increased. The combination of EGF administration and intestinal resection resulted in a further increase in SGLT1 expression. The intr aperitoneal administration of EGF selectively enhanced the expression of SGLT1 by enterocytes after massive small bowel resection. Administr ation of EGF to sham-operated animals did not have similar effects. Th ese results suggest that EGF augments the adaptive response and may th erefore have a therapeutic role in the management of patients with sho rt bowel syndrome. (C) 1997 Academic Press.