Substrate utilization by intestinal mucosal tissue strips from patients with inflammatory bowel disease

A primary metabolic disorder may be present in the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis. Preserving the epithelium in situ, we evaluated the metabolism of the colonic mucosa of control patients and patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Colonic mucosal strips (approximately 500 mg) were incubated with partially 14C-labeled acetate (C2), butyrate (C4), hexanoate (C6), octanoate (C8), and glucose, and the production of CO2 and ketone bodies was quantitated. Metabolism by small intestinal mucosal strips was also evaluated. Compared with controls, no decrease in either CO2 or ketone body production by colonic strips from patients with either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease was observed for any substrate. The CO2 production from each of the C2-C8 fatty acids was the same for colonic and small intestinal strips, whereas CO2 production from glucose was higher in small intestinal strips than in colonic strips. The production of ketone bodies was low in small intestinal strips. A primary metabolic disorder in the colonic mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease was not found.