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Intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in relation to age in humans
Insights
Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) activity is higher in young children (≤5 years) compared to older individuals. This study confirms higher IAP in infants and toddlers, with no correlation to serum alkaline phosphatase levels.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Previous research indicated higher intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) activity in young children.
- The physiological significance and age-related changes in IAP activity require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess intestinal alkaline phosphatase and disaccharidase activities in a large cohort of subjects across different age groups.
- To investigate the relationship between intestinal alkaline phosphatase and serum alkaline phosphatase levels.
- To determine the age at which lactase activity declines.
Main Methods:
- Assay of intestinal alkaline phosphatase and disaccharidase activities in 298 subjects with normal intestinal histology.
- Measurement of serum alkaline phosphatase in 95 children.
- Statistical analysis of IAP activity data, including logarithmic transformation for age-related distribution.
Main Results:
- Intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly higher in subjects aged 1 year and younger compared to older individuals.
- A decline in lactase activity was observed, with the youngest individual showing low lactase activity at 5 years of age.
- No correlation was found between intestinal and serum alkaline phosphatase levels across the entire study population.
- IAP activity data exhibited greater statistical dispersion and non-normal distribution in younger age groups, particularly 0-3 years.
Conclusions:
- Intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity demonstrates age-dependent variations, being higher in infants and young children.
- Lactase activity naturally declines with age, reaching low levels by 5 years.
- Serum alkaline phosphatase is not a reliable indicator of intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in this population.
Abstract:
Early studies of a few subjects suggested that intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) activities in children 5 years of age or less were higher than in older individuals. To further investigate this finding, the IAP and disaccharidase activities of 298 subjects (133 were 5 years of age or less) with normal intestinal histology were assayed. Ninety-five of the children had serum alkaline phosphatase determined. The youngest individual with a low lactase activity was 5 years of age, which supported the earlier findings. When the whole population was tested, there was no correlation between the intestinal and serum alkaline phosphatase values. The mean IAP activity of subjects 1 year old and less was greater than in older individuals, but there was greater statistical dispersion and the data were not normally distributed. When studying the natural logarithm of the data, a wide dispersion of values about the mean in the 0 to 3 year-old age group was observed. This qualitative behavior is characteristic of functions involving the base of the natural logarithm and of processes that "age" in a simple way.