Intestinal microcirculatory changes during fat absorption and the effect of cholecystokinin inhibitor

The major objective of this study was to estimate how microvascular changes occur in the intestinal segment in relation to fat absorption and also to assess the role played by cholecystokinin (CCK) in fat-induced intestinal hyperemia. A 12-cm loop of rat middle small intestine was exposed to a 120-min infusion of oleic acid micelle solution containing [14C]oleic acid. Time-course changes of vascular diameter and red blood cell (RBC) velocity of submucosal arterioles, venules, and periglandular and muscular capillaries were determined simultaneously in their different order of branching by using intravital microscopy equipped with a high-speed video camera system. Lymphatic transport of oleic acid was also monitored by collecting lymph from intestinal lymphatics. The instillation of micelle produced significant dilatation of submucosal arterioles and venules and significant increase in RBC velocity in submucosal microvessels and periglandular capillaries at 15 to 30 min after the fat instillation. This corresponds well to the appearance of [14C]oleic acid in intestinal lymph. This microvascular dilatation and RBC velocity increase continued throughout the exposure to fat and started to attenuate 30 min after restoration to saline infusion. There was also heterogeneity in microvascular responses among different orders of branches to fat administration, and RBC velocity increase was not observed in muscular capillaries. Local intra-arterial infusion of CCK inhibitor, loxiglumide (CR 1505, 10 mg.kg-1.h-1), significantly attenuated both fat-induced microvascular dilatation and RBC velocity increase but not the fat absorptive function. Our results indicate that CCK plays a significant role in intestinal hyperemia induced by fat absorption. However, CCK-mediated intestinal microvascular change was not a prerequisite for fat absorption.