Sucrase and lactase synthesis in suckling rat intestine in response to substrate administration

The intestinal brush border disaccharidases separated by gel electrophoresis were studied after oral administration of a high sucrose or lactose diet to 11-day-old suckling rats during 3 days. Some modifications of the brush border protein and eyzyme patterns could be attributed to the effect of the basic diet: increase of glucoamylase, appearance of a weak sucrase activity and of a second molecular form of maltase. However, the specific action of a given disaccharide on the synthesis of the corresponding hydrolytic enzyme could be clearly demonstrated. Indeed, the electrophoretic pattern after sucrose or lactose feeding showed a marked increase of the protein bands corresponding to sucrase-isomaltase or lactase activities.