Behaviour of intestinal lactase after irradiation

The behaviour of intestinal lactase has been studied in rats after irradiation. The significant increase of activity is not immediate, but slowly and progressively starting from 4 hrs after irradiation. The modifications of the activity are slow and gradual also during the reduction phase. This disaccharase does not show a return to normal values even after three weeks. We suggest that hypothesis that the increase could be due to a modification of the normal synthesis of enzymes caused by irradiation.