Intestinal responses in the male rat to gavaged corn oil

Gavaged corn oil is readily hydrolyzed and taken up by the rat small intestine but resynthesis to triglyceride and transport are slow. Multiple doses of corn oil caused increases in the non-lipid dry mass, protein and DNA content of the luminal surface of the small intestine. The possible relationship of these effects of gavaged corn oil to pancreatic acinar cell neoplasias is discussed. The fact that corn oil dosed by gavage causes changes in the composition of the small intestinal surface argues against the use of this technique in the assessment of the toxicological characteristics of compounds.