Dietary polyamines are essential luminal growth factors for small intestinal and colonic mucosal growth and development

Background-Polyamines are essential for cell growth. Dietary and probably g ut bacterial derived polyamines contribute significantly to the polyamine b ody pool. Aims-To valuate the influence of dietary, luminal polyamines on growth and development of different gastrointestinal organs in normally growing rats. Methods-Male suckling Wistar rats were randomly allocated to four treatment groups: polyamine deficient diet (PDD); PDD plus antibiotics (neomycin 2 g /kg and metronidazole 34 mg/kg); PDD plus polyamine supplementation at norm al concentrations; or normal standard laboratory chow. After a six month fe eding period 7-10 animals/group were sacrificed. Results-No differences in body weight gain, food consumption, or general be haviour could be observed between the four groups of animals. Feeding of PD D alone or PDD plus antibiotics resulted in a highly significant decrease i n organ weight, protein content, and DNA content in small intestinal and co lonic mucosa whereas no alterations were found in the liver. Conclusions-Long term feeding of polyamine deficient diets resulted in a si gnificant hypoplasia of small intestinal and colonic mucosa. Dietary, lumin al polyamines are important local factors for growth and the development of small intestinal and colonic mucosa.