Stimulating effect of glucocorticosteroids on intestinal fructose transport in rats is increased by feeding a saturated fatty acid diet.

Glucocorticosteroids enhance absorptive functions of the intestine. This study was undertaken to assess the influence of budesonide (BUD), prednisone (PRED), or control vehicle in rats fed either a saturated fatty acid diet (SFA) or a polyunsaturated fatty acid diet (PUFA), on the uptake of sugars. Steroids increased the uptake of fructose, and these effects were greater with SFA than PUFA. No effect on the abundance or the expression of the mRNAs of SGLT1, GLUT5, or GLUT2 was observed, and yet immunohistochemistry staining in the jejunum for SGLT1 and GLUT5 was greater in SFA than in PUFA. The early response genes and proglucagon expression was enhanced in the ileum of animals fed SFA and given control vehicle. Steroids increased the ileal proglucagon mRNA. In summary, (1) PRED and BUD enhance the uptake of fructose, (2) this enhancement may be increased further by feeding SFA, and (3) signaling may involve early response genes and proglucagon.