ALTERATIONS IN RAT INTESTINAL SUCRASE AND ALKALINE-PHOSPHATASE ACTIVITIES IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED EXPERIMENTAL DIABETES

Rat intestines revealed a significant loss of proteins after seven day s of alloxan induced diabetes. The data suggested the presence of two forms of alkaline phosphatase (A LP) in normal rat intestines. Along w ith the loss of proteins from the intestines during diabetes, a form o f ALP which appears to be loosely bound to the intestine is also flush ed out. Total brush border membrane (BBM) proteins are relatively pres erved from such leaching effect of alloxan induced diabetes. Thus, suc rase and another form of ALP which appears to be strongly bound to the BBM are flushed out at a slower rate as compared to the other intesti nal proteins and loosely bound soluble ALP. BBM preparations from diab etic rat intestines showed lower ratios for BBM/intestinal homogenate sucrase or ALP activity/mg proteins as compared to the normal control rats. Such ratios, therefore, misdepict the purity as low for the BBM from diabetic rats which is merely because of the decreased contents o f proteins in the intestinal homogenate during alloxan-induced acute e xperimental diabetes.