Glycoprotein degradation in the blind loop syndrome: identification of glycosidases in jejunal contents.

Contents obtained from jejunum of normal controls, self-emptying and self-filling blind loop rats were analyzed for the presence of glycoprotein-degrading glycosidases. The blind loop syndrome was documented by the increased fat excretion and slower growth rate of self-filling blind loop rats 6 wk after surgery. With p-nitrophenylglycosides as substrate, the specific activity of alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, a potential blood group A destroying glycosidase, was 0.90+/-0.40 mU/mg of protein. This level was 23-fold higher than the specific activity of normal controls. In partially purified self-filling blind loop contents, the activity of alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase was 9- to 70-fold higher than activities of self-emptying and normal controls. Antibiotic treatment with chloromycetin and polymyxin decreased 24-fold the glycosidase levels in self-filling blind loops. In experiments with natural substrate, the blood group A titer of a20,000g supernate from normal jejunal homogenates decreased 128-fold after 24-h incubation with blind loop contents. Normal contents failed to diminish the blood group reactivity of the natural substrate. Furthermore, blind loop contents markedly decreased the blood group A titer of isolated brush borders. Incubation between blind loop bacteria and mucosal homogenates or isolated brush borders labeled with d-[U-(14)C]glucosamine revealed increased production of labeled ether extractable organic acids. Likewise, intraperitoneal injection of d-[U-(14)C]glucosamine into self-filling blind loop rats resulted in incorporation of the label into luminal short chain fatty acids. These results suggest that glycosidases may provide a mechanism by which blind loop bacteria obtain sugars from intestinal glycoproteins. The released sugars are used and converted by bacteria into energy and organic acids. This use of the host's glycoproteins would allow blind loop bacteria to grow and survive within the lumen independent of exogenous sources.