Effect of rotavirus infection on small gut pathophysiology in a mouse model

Aim: To study the effect of rotavirus infection on amino acid uptake in the small intestine in an experimental mouse model. Methods: Infant mice (7-8 days of age) were orally infected with the EB ser otype 3 strain of rotavirus and animals (both infected and control) were ki lled on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 post inoculation (PI) after recording the ir bodyweights. Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), leucine amino peptidase (LAP), glutathione (GSH) and leucine amino acid uptake in the jejunum and ileum were assessed. Results: Infected animals showed significant reduction in their bodyweights and intestinal lengths on the third day PI compared with controls. Leucine amino peptidase, GGT, GSH and leucine uptake were significantly reduced in the ileum on the third and fifth day PI compared with controls while uptak e in the jejunum was only reduced on third day PI. The LAP, GGTP, GSH and l eucine uptake attained normal levels on the seventh day when diarrhoea stop ped. Histology showed damage to the villi in the jejunum and prominent cyto plasmic vacuolation in the ileum of infected animals on the third and fifth day PI. Conclusion: Rotavirus affects amino acid uptake in the small intestine at t he time of peak infection. (C) 1999 Blackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd.