Orally administered immunosuppressants modify intestinal uptake of nutrients in rabbits

The effect on intestinal nutrient transport of the immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A (CsA), cyclosporin G (CsG), and rapamycin (RAP) was determined in New Zealand white rabbits. Rabbits received oral doses of CsA (20 mg/kg/day), CsG (10 mg/kg/day), or RAP (1 mg/kg/day) for 10 days. Animals receiving RAP had decreased food intake and weight gain compared with controls. This correlated with a decrease in both total ileal weight and corresponding mucosal weight. CsA and CsG administration had no effect on food intake, total weight gain, or intestinal weight. Villus surface area was significantly decreased in all groups as compared with controls. Jejunal uptake of D-glucose as well as 1 medium and 4 long chain fatty acids was not affected by drug administration, while both mucosal-to-serosal and net 3-0-methylglucose fluxes were increased (P < 0.05) in the jejunum by all 3 drugs. In the ileum, the rates of uptake of D-glucose as well as stearic and linoleic acids were increased in animals treated with RAP compared with controls. There was an increase in the ileal values of the maximal transport rate (Vmax) and apparent Michaelis constant (Km*) in RAP, and a fall in the Vmax and Km* in CsG. CsG administration resulted in a decreased cholesterol uptake in both jejunum and ileum, and a decreased D-glucose uptake in the ileum compared with controls. These differences in glucose uptake among groups could not be attributed to variations in body, intestinal, or mucosal weights. It is unlikely that the changes observed in CsA- and CsG-treated animals would have nutritional importance, as these animals gained weight normally. In addition, in these animals the changes mainly occurred in the ileum, not in the jejunum, where most glucose is absorbed, and the associated alterations in the values of the Vmax and Km* would lead to reciprocal changes in the rates of uptake of varying luminal concentrations of glucose. In contrast, these changes are likely to be of more importance in RAP-treated animals, since they failed to gain weight normally. The significance of these findings needs to be established in chronically treated animals.