Jd. Lopez et al., EFFECTS OF EXOGENOUS NEUROTENSIN ON INTESTINAL POSTRESECTIONAL GROWTHIN THE SUCKLING RAT, Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, 24(4), 1997, pp. 393-398
Background: In the suckling rat, massive bowel resection provokes inte
stinal malabsorption that leads to diminished growth. The object of th
is report was to test whether neurotensin, intestinal trophic peptide,
enhances postresection intestinal adaptation, improving absorption an
d reducing the adverse effects of resection on growth. Methods: Fifty-
seven 15-day-old suckling Wistar rats were divided into four groups: 4
1 rats were subjected to resection of 90% of their small bowel, while
the rest (n = 16) underwent laparotomy. Half of the animals, resected
and laparotomized, were treated with neurotensin for 30 days. The body
weight was monitored, and samples of bone and intestinal mucosa were
obtained at the end of the study period for analysis. Blood was tested
to determine iron, ferritin, folic acid, and vitamin B-12 levels. Res
ults: The resected animals lost body weight regardless of neurotensin
administration. In the resected animals, femur weight increased signif
icantly when they received neurotensin. Bowel resection provokes signi
ficant increases in the intestinal mucosa (crypts and villi), but afte
r neurotensin administration, significant increases were detected only
in the jejunum of the resected animals but not in the ileum of laparo
tomized rats. In the resected animals, signficant decreases in iron, f
erritin, folic acid, and vitamin B-12 levels were observed. The postre
section administration of neurotensin only produced a significant rise
in the ferritin concentration. Conclusions: In the suckling rat, neur
otensin enhances the intestinal proliferative phenomenon but does not
improve the course of medium-term postresection growth.