Amino acid inhibition and stimulation of 2-aminoisobutyric acid exit from anuran small intestine.

1. Using the vascularly perfused frog small intestine, the exit of the non-metabolized amino acid 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) from the pre-loaded epithelium into the blood has been studied in winter animals.2. Marked inhibition of the instantaneous rate constant for AIB exit into the vascular bed is observed when L-leucine, but not D-leucine, is added either to the intestinal lumen or to the vascular bed. The extent of the inhibition is related to the leucine concentration in an alinear fashion. The concentration of luminal L-leucine giving half maximal inhibition is 2.5 mM.3. The instantaneous rate constant for AIB exit is similarly decreased by 10 mM-L-tryptophan and by L-phenylalanine added to the intestinal lumen and to a lesser extent by L-asparagine, L-valine, L-glutamine, L-isoleucine, and L-norleucine.4. 10 mM-L-proline added to the lumen stimulates AIB exit from the pre-loaded epithelium into the blood. This stimulation is due to an increased rate constant for movement of AIB across the basolateral membrane.5. No inhibition is found when the dipeptide L-leucyl-L-leucine (10 mM) is added to the intestinal lumen in the presence of 10 mM-L-leucine. When added to the vascular compartment this dipeptide has no effect upon AIB exit from the epithelium.6. Possible mechanisms by which amino acids and peptides may influence AIB movement out of the epithelium into the blood are discussed and conclusions are drawn concerning AIB transport across the intestinal basolateral membrane of the intact epithelium.