Modification of lectin binding in rat gut mucosa during experimental cholestasis

Glycoconjugate distribution on rat gut mucosa has been studied by using peroxidase-labelled lectins (Lotus tetragonolobus, Dolichos biflorus, Arachis hypogaea and Glycine max) after surgical interruption of the common bile duct. Specimens from cholestatic rats were compared with sham-operated (simple laparotomy) and normal controls to determine which of the observed modifications could be due either to the operation itself or to the cholestasis. Most of the modifications occurred in the duodenum. The operation itself modified some binding properties. Lotus tetragonolobus binding extended both in cholestatic and in sham-operated rats, but returned to normal levels earlier in sham-operated than in cholestatic rats. Conversely, cholestasis induced (1) almost total loss of Arachis hypogaea binding in the Golgi zone of superficial duodenal goblet cells; (2) an increase at the 14th postoperative day of Dolichos biflorus binding in the cytoplasmic calyx of goblet cells which then diminished up until the 28th day; and (3) an increase of Glycine max binding in the Golgi zone of goblet cells.