Intestinal calcium transfer and alkaline phosphatase activity in relation with vitamin D and glucide diet

For four weeks after weaning, rats were fed either on a diet without any calcium utilization factors (-D) or on the same diet with cholecalciferol (+D) or sorbitol (S). In the -D group, blood calcium levels decreased whilst alkaline phosphatase activities in blood and bone were increased. For +D and S groups, these parameters were normal. Using everted or in situ ligatured loops, calcium transfer from a CaCl2 + 45Ca solution was measured in the duodenum, the jejunum and in the ileum. Alkaline phosphatase activity from these regions was also measured. For the three diets and for all regions of the intestine, there was a good correlation between calcium transfer and phosphatase activity. These values were higher in the duodenum than in the ileum or jejunum, and also higher in the ileum in the +D group than in the -D and S groups although this was not significant. These low levels in the S group which were, sometimes, even lower than those seen in the -D group contrasted with blood and bone levels of alkaline phosphatase, which were normal for the S and +D groups. There was also a discrepancy between the low values found for both phosphatase activity and calcium transfer in rats S in the experiments where the calcium transfer assay was carried out in calcium solution and those found in experiments were both calcium and carbohydrate were present. In the latter, enhanced levels of intestinal phosphatase activity were observed, as well as a marked, albeit delayed, increase in intestinal calcium transfer. Onset latency and rapid offset are reminiscent of induction of bacterial enzymes by carbohydrates.