Locally and systemically active glucocorticosteroids modify intestinal absorption of sugars in rats.

Glucocorticosteroids enhance digestive and absorptive functions of the intestine of weaning and adult rats. This study was undertaken to assess the influence of treatment of weaning male rats with budesonide (Bud), prednisone (Pred), or control vehicle on the in vitro jejunal and ileal uptake of glucose and fructose. Bud and Pred had no effect on the uptake of d-glucose by sodium glucose transporter-1. In contrast, the uptake of d-fructose by GLUT-5 was similarly increased with Bud and with Pred. The increases in the uptake of fructose were not due to variations in the weight of the intestinal mucosa, food intake, or in GLUT-5 protein or mRNA expression. There were no steroid-associated changes in mRNA expression of c-myc, c-jun, c-fos, proglucagon, or selected cytokines. However, the abundance of ileal ornithine decarboxylase mRNA was increased with Pred. Giving postweaning rats 4 wk of Bud or Pred in doses equivalent to those used in clinical practice increases fructose but not glucose uptake. This enhanced uptake of fructose was likely regulated by posttranslational processes.