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D Ménard

Publications and source records attributed to D Ménard.

108 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Development of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity in mouse small intestine: influence of cortisone and thyroxine.

The fetal and postnatal development of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT) activity has been examined in the different parts of the mouse small intestine. At 17 days of gestation, gamma-GT is present in all intestinal thirds and a decreasing gradient of activity from the proximal to the distal segments is already established. From 17 days of gestation up to 5 days after birth, a dramatic fall of activity is observed in all segments. gamma-GT activity reaches adult level before weaning in the proximal segment while it increases only during the 3rd postnatal week in the middle and distal intestinal segments. Daily administration of cortisone acetate (25 microgram/g b.w./day) for 3 days to 8-day-old mice elicits a premature increase of gamma-GT activity in all intestinal thirds, the maximal increase being observed in the proximal segment. On the other hand, thyroxine (1 microgram/g b.w./day) has no or little effect on the normal development of gamma-GT activity.

Aging↗

Ultrastructural localization of intestinal glucose-6-phosphatase activity during the postnatal development of the mouse.

The development of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the ultrastructural localization of glucose-6-phosphatase activity have been studied in the proximal jejunum and distal ileum during the postnatal period. One day after birth, the amount and the repartition of ER in the jejunal enterocytes are similar to that observed in postweaning period. In the following days an extensive proliferation of SER is noted in the supranuclear zone of the absorbing cells. From day 7 till postweaning period a gradual decrease of the amount of SER is observed and after weaning, the ultrastructure of the enterocytes is similar to that in the adult mouse enterocytes. At all time, a positive reaction for G-6-Pase activity is observed in the cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum and in the nuclear envelope. In the distal ileum, the SER is poorly developed one day after birth. During the first two weeks, the ER increases but no extensive proliferation of SER can be noted as in the jejunum. The G-6-Pase activity can be visualized in the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum as well as in the nuclear envelope. It appears that the proliferation of SER could be interpreted as the morphologic expression of an increased G-6-Pase activity.

Animals↗

Amphibian intestinal brush border enzymes during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis.

The development of intestinal brush border hydrolytic activities has been studied during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis of Rana catesbeiana. Alkaline phosphatase activity peaks at 3 and 10 days after the beginning of the thyroxine treatment. The cytochemical observations concerning alkaline phosphatase activity are in agreement with the biochemical data. At the ultrastructural level, alkaline phosphatase activity is particularly evident on the microvilli membranes of the enterocytes in the primary epithelium after 3 days and in the secondary epithelium after 10 days. gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase exhibits an increase of activity between 7 and 10 days. On the other hand, glucoamylase, maltase, trehalase and leucylnapthylamidase activities decrease during thyroxine treatment, these enzymatic activities being lower than that normally observed after natural metamorphosis. The present study indicates that even though thyroxine is able to induce the morphological differentiation of the intestinal epithelium this hormone is unable to complete the enzymatic load of the new mucosa.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Effects of cortisone and thyroxine on intestinal trehalase activity in infant mouse.

Cortisone acetate (25 microgram/g b.wt/day) administration to 8-day-old suckling mice induces a premature increase of trehalase activity along the entire small intestine. On the other hand, thyroxine (1 microgram/g b.wt/day) in unable to provoke a precocious increase of trehalase activity. Trehalase appears to be the only brush border membrane disaccharidase controlled solely by glucocorticoid hormones during the postnatal maturation of the intestine.

Animals↗

Opposite effects of one and three injections of cortisone or thyroxine on intestinal lactase activity in suckling mice.

A single injection of cortisone or thyroxine to 8-day-old suckling mice initiates a temporary decrease of lactase activity. On the contrary, 3 injections of cortisone or thyroxine provoke a significant increase of lactase activity. It appears that the mechanism which controls the postnatal development of lactase in suckling animals is more complex than expected.

Animal Population Groups↗

Effect of clofibrate on the small intestine of fetal mice.

Pregnant Swiss ICR mice were injected with clofibrate at different dosages and time intervals, and embryos were removed either at 17 or 18 days of gestation. In embryos sacrificed at 17 days the level of intestinal catalase activity of the proximal and distal halves in the treated groups is identical in any case to that of the controls. In embryos sacrificed at 18 days, the rise in the level of catalase activity in the proximal half of the small intestine in treated groups is dose dependent up to a certain limit: with repeated injections the increase reaches a plateau. The distal halves of treated groups are much less responsive and an increase in catalase activity was noted only with repeated injections. In untreated embryos circular DAB-positive microperoxisomes (200 nm in diameter) and tubular structures (100 nm in thickness) are seen in the duodenum at 18 days of gestation. At the same stage, only circular microperoxisomes are identified in the ileum. After clofibrate treatment circular and tubular microperoxisomes are observed in the ileum also. It is concluded that clofibrate induces a rise in catalase activity in the embryo, only after 17 days of gestation. These observations are discussed in relation to the biogenesis of microperoxisome.

Animals↗

Developmental pattern of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in the small intestine of the mouse fetus.

The distribution of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activity in the epithelium of the small intestine in mouse embryos (the last 4 days of gestation) was studied by electron microscope cytochemistry and by enzymatic assays. At 16 days, the lead phosphate deposited by the cytochemical reaction is localized on the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and nuclear envelope of very few cells in the duodenum and jejunum. Positive cells are more frequently seen in the upper part of the developing villi. At 17 days of gestation, a tremendous burst in RER differentiation is noticed in all parts of the small intestine and concomitantly glycogen disappears. At 18 days of gestation all the principal cells of the intestinal mucosa show a well differentiated positive RER and the enzyme is also present in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Biochemically, G6Pase activity is detected in the proximal 2 thirds of the small intestine at 17 days of gestation and appears at 18 days in the last third. Afterwards the activity increases up until birth. These results suggest (1) that the endoplasmic reticulum differentiates very late in the intestinal mucosa of mouse embryos (2) that the differentiation with respect to G6Pase is asynchronous between the enterocytes, (3) that for a given cell all the cisternae of RER are involved in G6Pase synthesis at the same moment and (4) that the enterocytes of the duodenum differentiate sooner and faster that those of the jejunum and ileum.

Animals↗

Epidermal growth factor does not act as a primary cue for inducing developmental changes in suckling mouse jejunum.

The direct influence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the differentiation and proliferation of small intestine was studied in organ culture. Eight-day-old mouse small intestine was cultured during 2 days in serum-free Leibovitz L-15 medium alone or supplemented with EGF (50, 100, and 500 ng/ml) either at room temperature or at 37 degrees C. Brush border membrane hydrolytic activities, namely, sucrase, lactase, glucoamylase, trehalase, maltase, and alkaline phosphatase, were assayed in the intestinal tissue as well as in the culture medium. None of the brush border enzymic activities was affected by the addition of EGF to the culture medium. This lack of effect is not temperature dependent since it occurred both at room temperature and at 37 degrees C. The addition of hydrocortisone (10(-6) M) to the culture medium induced the appearance of sucrase activity and increased the activity of the other brush border enzymes. The simultaneous addition of EGF with hydrocortisone did not influence the response of the intestinal explants to hydrocortisone. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content was determined while DNA synthesis was evaluated by the incorporation of (3H)-thymidine. The addition of EGF did not affect DNA content or (3H)-thymidine incorporation into DNA either at room temperature or at 37 degrees C. The EGF binding to epithelial cells did not significantly vary throughout the culture period and a down-regulation process occurred in presence of EGF. These observations strongly suggest that EGF does not act as a primary cue for inducing developmental changes in suckling mouse small intestine. It is proposed that EGF induces a systemic reaction in vivo that then influences the neonatal small intestine.

Animals↗

Differential distribution of digestive enzymes in isolated epithelial cells from developing human fetal small intestine and colon.

The human fetal colon has morphological and biochemical characteristics similar to that of the small intestine during development. A comparative study of these two organs was undertaken by selectively isolating their respective epithelium at different ages of gestation. Histological and biochemical analysis revealed a complete and selective removal of the epithelium from the underlying tissue regardless of their stage of development. Intestinal and colonic epithelial cells showed substantial differences with respect to protein content and distribution. All brush border membrane enzymes studied were present in the colon, although in much lower quantities than in the corresponding intestine. Between 90 and 99% of total disaccharidases, glucoamylase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities were recovered in the isolated cells. Epithelial content and distribution of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity differed markedly, however, between these two tissues. More than 45% of intestinal ALP activity was of nonepithelial origin at 15 weeks, and this percentage increased in a craniocaudal fashion to reach greater than 93% in the 18-week-old colon. Inhibition studies using phenylalanine and levamisole showed that these intestinal and colonic isoenzymes are similar in nature although they differ in their respective distribution. The use of pure fractions of epithelial cells provides an ideal system in which to compare specifically the functional development of intestinal and colonic epithelium.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗