Evolution of biochemical parameters characterizing the proximal small intestine after orally administered spermine in unweaned rats.

Important variations in intestinal biochemical characteristics were recorded after ingestion of a single dose of spermine (8 mumol 50 microliters-1 water) by rats which were 11 days old. Two phases of events were observed. During the first hours which follow spermine administration, we mainly noted: -a decrease in the weight of DNA and of intestine per cm, -a decrease in the specific activity of lactase and of maltase, -an increase in the spermine content. The second phase of events started about 30 h after spermine ingestion. We observed: 1. An increase in the weight of DNA and of intestine per cm; 2. The appearance of sucrase activity; 3. An increase in maltase specific activity; 4. An increase in spermidine content; 5. tendency to normalization of the spermine content. The epithelial cells of the proximal intestine were isolated in fractions from the top of the villi to the bottom of the crypts. Two hours after spermine administration, we noted: 1. An increase in the lactase specific activity of the epithelial cells located at the top of the vili; 2. A decrease in the activity of the cells situated at the lower part of the crypts; 3. An increase in the specific activity of maltase contained in the different categories of enterocytes, except in those from the bottom of the crypts; 4. An increase in the content of putrescine present in the epithelial cells of the whole axis excepted in the bottom of the crypts; 5. An increase in the spermidine and spermine content of all the cell fractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)