In vitro concentrative accumulation of D-xylose by jejunum from horses and rabbits

Accumulation of D-xylose by jejunal mucosa from healthy horses and rabbits was studied in vitro. When tissue sheets were incubated with 1 mM D-xylose for 60 minutes, mucosa from horses and rabbits accumulated D-xylose against a concentration gradient. There was no accumulation when equine specimens were incubated with 5 mM D-xylose. By comparison, equine jejunum accumulated D-glucose against a concentration gradient when incubated in 5 mM D-glucose. In equine and rabbit jejunum, 13.3 +/- 7.0% and 36 +/- 11.0%, respectively, of accumulated D-xylose was phosphorylated when sheets were incubated in 1 mM D-xylose. Short-circuit current and potential difference were lower in equine jejunum than in rabbit jejunum, possibly because of differences in tissue thickness. None of the transmucosal electrical measurements increased after addition of D-xylose (1 mM and 5 mM) or D-glucose (5 mM). The active transport system for D-xylose has a low affinity for this sugar and becomes saturated at low intraluminal concentrations. Therefore, abnormal D-xylose absorption test results in horses are more likely caused by abnormalities in mucosal surface area and mucosal permeability than by abnormalities of nutrient carbohydrate absorption.