Age-related changes in sodium-dependent glucose transport in rat small intestine.

Brush-border membrane vesicles were purified from jejunoileal segments of rats ranging from 3 to 156 wk. The kinetics of sodium-dependent glucose cotransport were studied under voltage-clamped, zero trans conditions over a wide range of cis-glucose concentrations (0.005-1.5 mM). Initial glucose uptake in brush-border membrane vesicles isolated from the proximal intestinal segment (50 cm from ligament of Treitz) of rats less than 7-8 wk of age demonstrated a distinct curvilinear Hofstee plot consistent with multiple-transport mechanisms. One system possessed an apparent Vmax of 10.6 +/- 0.5 nmol X mg prot-1 X min-1 and Km of 630 +/- 18 microM. The second system was characterized by Vmax of 0.9 +/- 0.1 nmol X mg prot-1 X min-1 and Km of 12 +/- 1 microM. In contrast, the distal segment (50 cm to end of small intestine) possessed only one sodium-dependent glucose carrier system. The apparent Vmax and Km were 1.11 +/- 0.20 nmol X mg protein-1 X min-1 and 49 +/- 7 microM, respectively. Sodium-activation curves in the presence of 0.3 and 0.03 mM glucose were consistent with more than one sodium ion with both systems. In contrast, rats 12-13 wk old and older possessed both sodium-dependent transport systems in the proximal early and distal small intestine. The high-capacity system is more abundant in the proximal than the distal segment. These data suggest that, under these specific conditions, there are two sodium-dependent glucose carriers in the intestine of young rats: one located in the jejunum characterized by high capacity and low affinity, and the second located throughout the jejunoileum characterized by low capacity and high affinity. Furthermore with age there is a development of the low-affinity system in the distal segments so that both systems are found along the length of the jejunum and ileum. Accordingly, serial and parallel heterogeneity of sodium-dependent glucose transport exists along the small intestine.