Lipid composition of intestinal brush border membrane in alloxan induced acute experimental diabetes

Several alterations were observed in the rat intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) lipid composition after 7 days old alloxane-induced diabetes as compared to the control animals. There was no change in the total protein contents but a significant increase in the total lipid contents was observed. Glycolipids constituting the major lipid components showed a two-fold increase. No significant difference was observed in the total phospholipid contents. A significant decline in the free cholesterol (CH) level, free fatty acids, triglycerides and sialic acid contents was observed in membranes from diabetic rats. Esterified CH, monoglycerides+diglycerides, phosphatidyl serine+phosphatidyl inositol and phosphatidyl choline levels remained unaffected. A significant increase in sphingomyelin with a parallel decrease in phosphatidyl ethanolamine was observed in BBM preparations from diabetic rats. The observed changes in intestinal BBM might be responsible for altered functions of the diabetic intestines.