Organ culture of fetal rat intestine. Effects on brush border enzyme activities of the combined administration of dexamethasone and cycloheximide or actinomycin D.

Jejunum of 19-day fetal rats was explanted in organ culture for 48 h in the presence of dexamethasone (DX) and cycloheximide (CX) or actinomycin D (Act D). The concentrations of both inhibitors which provided maximal responses without any detrimental alteration of the tissue were determined. During the culture period, CX (0.5 microgram/ml) totally abolished the production of both DX-stimulated enzymes (sucrase, maltase, lactase) and DX-insensitive enzymes (aminopeptidase, alkaline phosphatase). On the contrary, Act D at 2 micrograms/ml exhibited differential levels of inhibition related to the enzyme considered: 100% for sucrase and aminopeptidase, 70% for maltase and 50% for lactase. By contrast, alkaline phosphatase was stimulated 100% by Act D. These data suggest that the mechanism by which DX induces sucrase and stimulates maltase activity takes place at the transcriptional level. They also indicate that the basic maturation of at least maltase and lactase activities depends upon the traduction of a preexisting pool of mRNAs. The superinduced alkaline phosphatase activity obtained with Act D supports the notion that an Act D-sensitive repressor may play a role in the maturation process of this enzyme.