Lack of effect of alcohol on small intestinal binding of the vitamin B12 - intrinsic factor complex

Absorption of 57Co-labelled vitamin B12 - intrinsic factor (IF) complex and its binding to mucosal precipitate and brush border fractions of rat small intestine was studied in rats pair-fed with a liquid diet containing ethanol 5 g/100 ml, 35% of calories, or isocalorically substituted sucrose. IF was obtained from rats fasted for 18 h. and for each experiment the amount of vitamin B12 added was the minimum required to achieve maximum binding to IF. Rats fed alcohol exhibited hepatic steatosis, proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and disordered mitochondria after 6 weeks on the diet, and absorption of vitamin B12, fed with IF by stomach tube, was reduced signficantly. In contrast, binding of 57Co-labelled vitamin B12 -IF complex to mucosal precipitate and brush border fractions was never less than that of fractions from control rats at 4, 8 and 12 weeks on the alcohol diet. Furthermore, binding to the brush border was significantly greater in alcohol-fed rats at 12 weeks whether expressed per unit of beta-naphthylamidase (EC 3.4.1.1) activity or per milligram of protein. Total mucosal sucrase (EC 5.2.1.26) and beta-naphthylamidase were unchanged or slightly increased (beta-naphthylamidase at 12 weeks) on the alcohol-containing diet indicating that total brush border membrane was not reduced. Total brush border binding activity was the same in alcohol-fed and control rats at each time period. These results indicate that malabsorption of vitamin B12 in rats fed alcohol cannot be due to decreased binding of the vitamin B12 - IF complex by brush border membrane receptors, or secondary to a net decrease in membrane receptors.