Gestational diabetes affects postnatal development of transport and enzyme functions in rat intestine.

The effect of alloxan-induced gestational diabetes on the postnatal development of brush border disaccharidases and D-glucose transport in rat intestine was studied. Pups born to diabetic mothers showed 92-22% increase in blood sugar levels compared with the controls. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed that the activities of brush border sucrase, lactase and Sodium Glucose Co-transporter 1 (SGLT1) correlates with protein and mRNA levels in intestine of pups born to diabetic rat mothers after 5-45 days of birth. Intestinal histology in pups born to diabetic mothers at day 10 and 45 after birth showed distorted cellular organization of mucosa with a decrease in the number of secretary goblet cells and regression of tubular mass. These findings suggest that the genetic switch in utero regulates the postnatal expression of enzyme and transport functions in intestine of pups born to diabetic rat mothers. This may influence the growth and development of offsprings later in life.