The effects of starvation and alloxan diabetes on the intestinal transport of amino acids in adult male rats

The effects of total starvation for 1, 3, and 5 days on the absorption of L-alanlne, L-lyslne, L-methlonine and L-prollne were studied in adult male rats using an in vitro everted intestinal method. Active transport of these amino acids was increased significantly by fasting for 3 and 5 days. The effects of alloxan diabetes on the active transport of the same test amino acids were studied at 3, 8, 14, 30, 90 and 180 days post-alloxan using the same in vitro method. Absorption of all amino acids was enhanced in the short-term (3 day) and in the long-term (90 and 180 day) alloxan diabetics. Transport of these amino acids were below control values at 8, 14 and 30 days post-alloxan injection. This study confirmed previous published work that net transport of amino acids decreases with age in the normal rat. This study also confirms earlier published works on the effects of short-term alloxan diabetes and distinguishes a diabetic effect from a possible toxic effect of alloxan. This study confirms and extends previous work on morphological changes which occur and which may effect the transport of amino acids in the rat.