The effect of feed deprivation on gastrointestinal respiration and Na+, K+-ATPase in chicks

Abstract

In order to investigate the effect of nutrient availability on energy metabolism of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of chicks, two experiments were conducted. In exp. 1, jejunal slices from male White Leghorn chicks at 14 d were incubated in salt-based balanced medium (SBM) or complex medium (CM) for 30 min. The total O2 (TO2) and ouabain-sensitive O2 (OSO2) consumption in jejunal slices were significantly decreased in SBM. The results from exp. 1 imply that when the GIT mucosa is subjected to nutrient deprivation, the utilization of oxygen consumption is altered primarily by shifting active Na+ pump activity. Changes in the TO2, OSO2 and amiloride-sensitive O2 (ASO2) uptake in response to feed deprivation in the small intestine of male White Leghorn chicks were investigated in exp. 2. There was little change in TO2, OSO2 and ASO2 per unit of dry matter of the small intestine from birds subjected to fasting, except for a TO2 decrease in the jejunum of 48 h fasted chicks. However, there were significant reductions in TO2, OSO2 and ASO2 in the jejunum when data were expressed per unit DNA. Na+, K+-ATPase-dependent respiration represented 31–37% of TO2 in the avian jejunoileum. Amiloride-sensitive respiration accounted for 10–18% of TO2 in the jejunoileum. The maximal amount of 3Houabain binding sites of jejunal enterocytes was significantly decreased in chicks fasted for 48 h (P < 0.05). Key words: Oxygen consumption, fasting, Na+, K+-ATPase, ouabain, jejunum, ileum, chicks