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(Journal of Nutrition. 1999;129:1278-1284.)
© 1999 The American Society for Nutritional Sciences


Articles

Keratinocyte Growth Factor Enhances Glutathione Redox State in Rat Intestinal Mucosa during Nutritional Repletion1,2

Carolyn R. Jonas*{dagger}, Concepción F. Estívariz*, Dean P. Jones**{dagger}, Li H. Gu*, Timothy M. Wallace{ddagger}, Emma E. Diaz{ddagger}, Robert R. Pascal{ddagger}, George A. Cotsonis§ and Thomas R. Ziegler*{dagger}3

* Department of Medicine, {ddagger} Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and ** Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine; § Department of Biostatistics, Rollins School of Public Health and the {dagger} Nutrition and Health Sciences Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322

3To whom correspondence should be addressed.


    ABSTRACT
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Malnutrition decreases tissue levels of glutathione (GSH), a major endogenous antioxidant that detoxifies reactive oxygen species and promotes cell growth. This study determined the effects of the gut trophic peptide keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) on intestinal mucosal GSH concentrations and redox state in malnourished rats. Adult rats were food-deprived for 3 d, then consumed food ad libitum or 25% of ad libitum intake for 3 d with daily intraperitoneal administration of saline or KGF (5 mg·kg-1·d-1). Mucosal GSH and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) concentrations, crypt depth and total mucosal height were measured in the jejunum, ileum and colon. In the 25% of ad libitum-refed, saline-treated group, mucosal GSH was lower in all gut tissues (42% in jejunum, 38% in ileum, and 57% in colon), and the GSH/GSSG ratio was lower in the jejunum and ileum compared to that in the ad libitum-refed controls. KGF treatment with ad libitum refeeding increased GSH/GSSG in the jejunum, ileum and colon. Furthermore, in 25% of ad libitum refeeding, KGF normalized jejunal, ileal and colonic mucosal GSH content and significantly increased the mucosal GSH/GSSG ratio relative to rats treated with saline. Increased crypt depth and total mucosal height induced by KGF and feeding could be explained in part by increased mucosal GSH content. KGF treatment improved gut mucosal glutathione redox state in malnourished, refed rats. These data provide evidence that gut trophic hormones and food intake may independently support gut mucosal glutathione antioxidant capacity during nutritional repletion.


KEY WORDS: • glutathione • keratinocyte growth factor • intestine • protein-energy malnutrition • rats


    INTRODUCTION
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Growth and function of the gastrointestinal mucosa is markedly influenced by nutritional status and enteral nutrient availability (Steiner et al. 1968Citation , Ziegler et al. 1995Citation ). Fasting or severe protein-energy restriction results in mucosal atrophy, decreased absorptive capacity and impaired intestinal barrier function. Malnutrition is also associated with decreased gut mucosal antioxidant status, including decreased levels of the tripeptide antioxidant glutathione (L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine; GSH)4 (Meister 1991Citation , Ogasawara et al. 1989Citation ). Enteral feeding in malnourished animals rapidly restores gut cellularity and improves critical mucosal functions (Hagemann and Strangand 1977Citation , Ziegler et al. 1995Citation ).

Peptide growth factors endogenously produced by the intestine, such as members of the fibroblast growth factor family, are important mediators of intestinal epithelial growth (Drucker 1997Citation ). Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is an important stimulator of epithelial cell growth, regeneration and repair (Estívariz et al. 1998Citation , Finch et al. 1989Citation , Housley et al. 1994Citation ). In normal rats consuming food ad libitum, the administration of recombinant human KGF increased epithelial cell proliferation in the stomach, duodenum, colon, liver and pancreas (Housley et al. 1994Citation ). We recently documented that recombinant KGF enhances rat small bowel and colonic mucosal growth during enteral nutrient repletion after 3 d of food deprivation (Estívariz et al. 1998Citation ). Furthermore, KGF administration in rodents decreases gut mucosal injury in experimental colitis (Zeeh et al. 1996Citation ) and after chemotherapy and radiation (Farrell et al. 1998Citation ). The effects of KGF in these conditions of mucosal inflammation suggest that a mechanism of KGF gut-trophic action may be to provide critical protection from toxins or reactive oxygen species.

GSH is the most abundant low molecular weight thiol in mammalian cells and, with its conversion to the disulfide form glutathione disulfide (GSSG), plays a key role in the detoxification of cellular free radicals, toxins and carcinogens (Hagen et al. 1990Citation , Meister 1991Citation ). GSH is synthesized endogenously in mucosal cells using amino acid substrates, can be derived exogenously from dietary sources and may enter the gut lumen via bile or by direct secretion from mucosal cells (Dahm and Jones 1994Citation , Kaplowitz et al. 1983Citation , Lash et al. 1986Citation ). GSH that is present in the gut lumen and within enterocytes appears to be required for normal intestinal function, in part because it protects the epithelium from damage by dietary electrophiles and fatty acid hydroperoxides (Aw et al. 1992Citation , Dahm and Jones 1994Citation ) and maintains the sulfhydryl/disulfide balance of proteins (Gilbert 1989Citation , Ziegler 1985Citation ). In animal models, food deprivation or an insufficient dietary supply of amino acids that may serve as GSH substrates (e.g., glutamine and cysteine) results in decreased GSH levels in both the small intestine and colon (Cho et al. 1981Citation , Kelly 1993Citation ). Decreased GSH in gut epithelial cells because of malnutrition or other causes may increase susceptibility to oxidative injury and exacerbate degeneration of the intestinal mucosa (Martensson et al. 1989Citation ).

There is evidence to suggest that GSH is involved in the regulation of cell growth (Hutter et al. 1997Citation , Hwang and Sinskey 1991Citation ). In studies that used a variety of cultured mammalian cells, a more reducing redox potential was associated with increased cell density, whereas a more oxidized potential was associated with lower cell density (Hwang and Sinskey 1991Citation ). They further showed that when pH and dissolved oxygen were controlled, this redox effect was determined by the thiol content. In a recent study of cultured human fibroblasts, altered cellular GSH significantly shifted the calculated GSH/GSSG redox potential (Hutter et al. 1997Citation ). Because a more reducing GSH redox potential was associated with increased cell density, and a more oxidized potential was associated with decreased cell density (Hutter et al. 1997Citation ), cellular growth appeared to be regulated by GSH redox status. Intracellular and extracellular antioxidant status appears to influence cell proliferation that is mediated by growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor and epidermal growth factor (Burdon et al. 1994Citation , Sundaresan et al. 1995Citation ). The reducing environment that is regulated by GSH in gut mucosa, thus, may be important for detoxification reactions that allow normal tissue function and also for regulating cell proliferation in response to nutrients and growth factors.

The current study was designed to assess the in vivo effects of both KGF and the level of enteral nutrient repletion on intestinal GSH and GSSG concentrations and the GSH/GSSG ratio in malnourished rats. We also investigated the relationship between changes in mucosal GSH status and indices of intestinal mucosal growth. The results show that KGF improves the GSH redox state and suggest that gut trophic hormones and food intake independently support gut mucosal antioxidant capacity during malnutrition.


    MATERIALS AND METHODS
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Animals.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, MA), weighing 170–200 g, were housed in individual cages in the animal care facility under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity with a 12-h light, 12-h dark cycle. Animals were given free access to water and standard pelleted rat food (Laboratory Rodent Chow 5001, PMI Feeds, St. Louis, MO) during a 3-d acclimation period. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Use Committee of Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

Treatment regimens.

Rats were given free access to water, but no access to food for 72 h to induce protein-energy malnutrition and intestinal mucosal atrophy (Ziegler et al. 1995Citation ). Weight-matched animals were then assigned to one of four refeeding regimens for 3 subsequent days: 1) ad libitum consumption (21.25 g/d) with daily, intraperitoneal saline; 2) pair-fed to the ad libitum group with daily, intraperitoneal recombinant human KGF (5 mg·kg-1·d-1, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA); 3) refed 25% of ad libitum food intake (5.3 g/d), with daily, intraperitoneal saline; or 4) pair-fed to 25% of ad libitum group with daily, intraperitoneal KGF. Food intake was monitored daily, and all pair-fed animals consumed their entire dietary ration. For comparison, additional rats consuming ad libitum food or food-deprived for 3 d were also studied.

Tissue isolation.

After the 72-h refeeding period, the rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal ketamine (100 g/L) and xylazine (20 g/L). The peritoneal cavity was opened by a midline incision, and the ligament of Treitz was identified. The small and large bowel segments were stripped of mesenteric and vascular connections and sequentially removed from the peritoneum. After tissue extraction, rats were killed by exsanguination. The lumen of each intestinal segment was flushed with 20–30 mL of ice-cold 9 g NaCl/L to clear the intestinal contents, and the segment was suspended from a ring stand with a constant distal weight. The segments used for mucosal GSH analysis were as follows: jejunum, from 10 to 14 cm distal to the ligament of Treitz; ileum, from 10 to 14 cm proximal to the ileal-cecal junction; colon, from 8 to 12 cm distal to the cecum. A 1-cm segment proximal to these defined regions was excised for histologic analysis of mucosal growth. The segments used for GSH redox studies were longitudinally cut, and the mucosa was obtained by gently scraping with a glass slide. The mucosa was immediately placed in a solution containing 5 g perchloric acid/L, 0.2 mol boric acid/L and 5 µmol {gamma}-glutamyl-glutamate/L for HPLC analysis. With the use of this collection method, no significant change in mucosal GSH and GSSG content was detected within a sampling period of 2 min (data not shown).

Histology.

To assess intestinal mucosal growth, we determined total mucosal height (TMH) and crypt depth (CD) as indices of mucosal growth in jejunum and ileum, and CD as the index of mucosal growth in colon. The segments of jejunum, ileum and colon were cut longitudinally, fixed with formalin, embedded in paraffin and sectioned. Mucosal CD and villus height in hematoxylin- and eosin-stained sections from each rat were measured in 10–25 individual crypts and villi per segment by pathologists blinded to treatment group. For the jejunum and ileum, TMH was calculated as the sum of CD and villus height measurements. Although intestinal villus height can decrease and CD can increase under some conditions of stress, we found both villus height and CD decreased in this underfeeding protocol (Estívariz 1998Citation ). Thus, we used TMH as an index of cumulative change in mucosal cellularity in this model.

GSH and GSSG determination.

Precipitated tissue proteins of the acid-treated mucosal samples were separated from the acid-soluble supernatant by microcentrifugation, and the protein pellet was resuspended in 1 mol NaOH/L. Protein concentrations were measured by using the Bradford method with rabbit {gamma}-globulin as the protein standard (Biorad Laboratories, Hercules, CA). The acid-soluble supernatant was stored at -70°C for 2–4 wk until thiol analysis, in which GSH and GSSG were derivatized with dansyl chloride by using a method described by Jones et al. (1998)Citation . Stability studies showed that GSH and GSSG were stable under these storage conditions.

For HPLC analysis, the dansyl-derivatized compounds, including GSH and GSSG, were separated as previously described (Jones et al. 1998Citation ) on a 3-aminopropyl column (5µm; 4.6 x 25 cm; Custom LC, Houston, TX) with the use of a Waters 2690 HPLC and autosampler system (Waters, Milford, MA) with fluorescence detection using bandpass filters (305–395 nm excitation, 510–650 nm emission; Gilson Medical Electronics, Middletown, WI). Quantitation of the thiols was calculated based on integration relative to the internal standard {gamma}-glutamyl-glutamate and expressed as nmol/mg protein. The GSH/GSSG ratio was calculated as an index of the glutathione pool redox state.

Statistical analysis.

The study was arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial design, with diet (ad libitum versus 25% of ad libitum) and treatment (KGF versus saline) as main effects. Two-way ANOVA was initially performed to determine the main effects of diet and KGF treatment and their interaction (P < 0.05). One-way ANOVA was used to detect significant intergroup differences (P < 0.05). In this case, the four specific study groups were compared post hoc by using the Fisher's protected least-significant difference test (Statview for Mac Version 4.5, Abacus Concepts, Berkeley, CA). A Brown-Forsythe test showed no lack of homogeneity of variance, thus no transformations of data were necessary.

Because diet and KGF administration altered both GSH redox and mucosal growth parameters, one-way and two-way analysis of covariance methods were used to evaluate the associations between mucosal GSH levels, the GSH/GSSG ratio and the mucosal growth indices (SAS/STAT Version 6, SAS Institute, Cary, NC). P-values < 0.05 indicated significant differences.


    RESULTS
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Mucosal GSH.

After 3 d of food deprivation, refeeding at 25% of ad libitum intake significantly decreased intestinal mucosal GSH in the jejunum, ileum and colon by 42%, 38% and 57%, respectively, compared to the values in ad libitum-refed, saline-treated rats (Fig. 1Citation ). Jejunal, ileal and colonic GSH values were significantly higher in rats given KGF during refeeding at 25% of ad libitum intake, maintaining GSH at levels not different from ad libitum-refed rats. KGF did not significantly alter mucosal GSH in ad libitum-refed rats. These results indicate that KGF prevented the malnutrition-induced decrease in mucosal GSH content throughout the intestine.



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Figure 1. Mucosal glutathione (GSH) levels in (A) jejunum, (B) ileum and (C) colon from rats consuming food ad libitum or 25% of ad libitum following 3 d of food deprivation administered saline or keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). Ad libitum food consumption-saline injection (Ad lib-SAL); ad libitum food-KGF injection (Ad lib-KGF); 25% ad libitum of food consumption-saline (25%-SAL); 25% ad libitum of food consumption-KGF (25%-KGF). Values expressed as means ± SE, n = 6. Those not sharing a letter are significantly different, P < 0.05. There was a significant main effect of diet to increase colonic mucosal GSH, by two-factor ANOVA (P < 0.05), and a significant main effect of KGF treatment to increase jejunal and colonic GSH, by two-factor ANOVA (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). For comparison, 3 d of food deprivation alone decreased GSH in all tissues [jejunum: 14.8 nmol/mg protein (ad libitum food consumption) vs. 10.6 (3 d food-deprived); ileum: 19.3 nmol/mg protein vs. 12.1; colon: 22.2 nmol/mg protein to 9.0; all P < 0.05]. Differences in ileal GSH values for ad libitum-refed, saline-treated and ad libitum-fed rats may be explained by differences in experimental models and assay variation between studies.

 
Mucosal GSSG.

Rats refed at 25% of ad libitum intake demonstrated tissue-specific differences in mucosal GSSG compared to ad libitum controls (Fig. 2Citation ): GSSG levels were not different in the jejunum, were significantly higher in the ileum and were significantly lower in the colon. With 25% refeeding and KGF treatment, GSSG levels in the ileum were significantly lower, while jejunal and colonic levels were not different from rats fed 25% of ad libitum intake and treated with saline. In rats with ad libitum refeeding and KGF treatment, the GSSG contents in the jejunum, ileum and colon were significantly lower than in ad libitum-refed rats treated with saline. These data demonstrate regional changes in gut mucosal GSSG in response to enteral nutrition and KGF.



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Figure 2. Mucosal glutathione disulfide (GSSG) values in (A) jejunum, (B) ileum and (C) colon from rats consuming food ad libitum or 25% of ad libitum after 3 d of food deprivation administered saline or keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). See group designations in Fig. 1Citation . Values expressed as means ± SE, n = 6. Those not sharing a letter are significantly different, P < 0.05. A significant main effect of diet on mucosal GSSG (increased by 25% of ad libitum intake) occurred in ileum, by two-factor ANOVA (P <0.01). A significant main effect of KGF to decrease mucosal GSSG was observed in all three intestinal tissues (P < 0.05). For comparison, 3 d of food deprivation alone increased GSSG in ileum [0.26 nmol/mg protein (ad libitum food consumption) vs. 0.46 (3 d food-deprived); P < 0.05], with no change in jejunum and colon.

 
Mucosal glutathione redox state.

Refeeding at 25% ad libitum intake resulted in significantly lower GSH/GSSG ratios in the jejunum and ileum compared to those in the ad libitum-refed rats (Fig. 3Citation ). With KGF treatment at the lower level of refeeding, GSH/GSSG ratios in jejunal, ileal, and colonic mucosa were one to 2.7-fold higher, indicating a more reduced glutathione pool. KGF treatment in ad libitum-refed rats resulted in GSH/GSSG ratios that were significantly higher in all intestinal segments, with the colon exhibiting the greatest increase (3.7-fold). Thus, KGF treatment resulted in a more reduced glutathione pool at both levels of refeeding and prevented the oxidation of the glutathione pool during restricted refeeding at 25% of ad libitum intake.



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Figure 3. Mucosal glutathione redox status (GSH/GSSG) in (A) jejunum, (B) ileum and (C) colon from rats consuming food ad libitum or 25% of ad libitum after 3 d of food deprivation administered saline or keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). See group designations in Fig. 1Citation . Values expressed as means ± SE, n = 6. Those not sharing a letter are significantly different, P < 0.05. There was a significant main effect of KGF to increase the GSH/GSSG ratio in jejunum, ileum, and colon, by two-factor ANOVA (P < 0.01). For comparison, 3 d of food deprivation alone decreased the GSH/GSSG ratio in all tissues [jejunum: 54 (ad libitum) vs. 33 (fasted); ileum: 73 vs. 27; colon: 103–40; all P < 0.05].

 
Relationship between mucosal cellularity and GSH redox state.

To investigate whether GSH status in vivo is related to intestinal growth, we measured TMH and CD as gut mucosal growth indices (Estívariz et al. 1998Citation ). With 25% refeeding, TMH and CD were significantly lower in the jejunum, and CD was significantly lower in the ileum. Colonic CD was not different from ad libitum-refed rats (Table 1Citation ). KGF had no effect on mucosal growth indices in the jejunum at either level of refeeding. KGF administration in 25% of ad libitum-refed rats resulted in higher TMH and CD in the ileum. KGF treatment at both 25% and ad libitum refeeding levels resulted in significantly higher colonic CD.


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Table 1. Gut total mucosal height (TMH) and crypt depth (CD) in rats fed ad libitum or 25% of ad libitum with administration of saline (SAL) or keratinocyte growth factor (KGF)1

 
To determine whether there was a correlation between mucosal growth and local GSH levels and redox state, we used an analyses of covariance that controlled for the independent effects of diet and KGF on mucosal growth and GSH status. A nonsignificant covariant effect between CD and GSH level was observed in the ileum (P = 0.062). After being adjusted for the effects of GSH, KGF treatment was not related to ileal CD in the 25%-refed rats. This suggests that increased ileal CD induced by KGF during hypocaloric refeeding was due in part to changes in mucosal GSH levels. In the colon, CD was significantly associated with mucosal GSH content in both saline-treated (P < 0.01) and KGF-treated (P < 0.05) rats.

Comparison of GSH and the GSH/GSSG ratio in small bowel and colon.

The comparison of jejunal, ileal and colonic GSH levels in ad libitum-refed, saline-treated rats showed that mucosal GSH levels did not differ in the jejunum or ileum, but colonic levels were 1.0–1.7-fold greater than the values for the small intestine (Fig. 4ACitation ). Ad libitum refeeding resulted in a proximal to distal gradient in intestinal GSH redox state (GSH/GSSG, Fig. 4Citation B). The GSH redox state was most reduced in the colon. The more reduced GSH redox state in the colon, relative to the tissues of the small intestine, was unaffected by the level of enteral refeeding or by KGF administration (see Figs. 1Citation and 3Citation ).



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Figure 4. Proximal to distal intestinal levels of glutathione (A) (GSH) and the (B) GSH/glutathione disulfide (GSSG) ratio in jejunum, ileum, and colon from rats consuming food ad libitum and administered saline. Values expressed as means ± SE, n = 6. Those not sharing a letter are significantly different, P < 0.05.

 

    DISCUSSION
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Recovery of intestinal function after pathologic or traumatic injury remains a major clinical challenge, which may be further complicated by malnutrition. Nutritional deprivation causes direct tissue damage, disrupts cell proliferation and turnover, and compromises the detoxification of reactive oxygen species and other toxic compounds (Aw et al. 1992Citation , Bai and Jones 1996Citation , Martensson et al. 1989Citation , Ziegler et al. 1995Citation ). Recent strategies to improve intestinal structure and function during malnutrition have included supplementing specific nutrients (e.g., glutamine), increasing the supply of antioxidants to protect against oxidative injury and adding trophic factors to stimulate cell growth (Aw et al. 1992Citation , Bray and Taylor 1994Citation , Ziegler et al. 1997Citation ).

The present animal study employing a food deprivation and hypocaloric refeeding model was developed to test the efficacy of intervention strategies for intestinal recovery. KGF improves recovery of intestinal growth during hypocaloric feeding as measured by crypt depth and villus height (Estívariz et al. 1998Citation ). In the current study, we found that KGF also improves gut mucosal GSH concentrations and redox state. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of growth factor-mediated improvement in tissue antioxidant status in vivo. Of particular interest, our analyses suggest that improvement of mucosal GSH status is related to intestinal epithelial growth that is induced by both KGF and nutrients. These data indicate that in the ileum, KGF treatment increased CD during 25% of ad libitum refeeding, in part via changes in ileal GSH levels. In colon, increased CD was significantly associated with increased mucosal GSH content when statistically controlling for diet and KGF treatment. Thus, increased mucosal GSH concentrations may mediate mucosal growth stimulated by nutrients and KGF.

Although our data are correlative, substantial evidence suggests that changes in the thiol redox state are directly related to changes in cell density in a variety of cultured mammalian cell lines (Hutter et al. 1997Citation , Hwang and Sinskey 1991Citation ). Briefly, the GSH redox state in normal proliferating fibroblasts was significantly more reducing than in confluent, contact-inhibited cells (Hutter et al. 1997Citation ). The change in redox state in proliferating cultured cells corresponds to a twofold higher GSH/GSSG ratio, a redox shift of similar magnitude to those observed in our in vivo model. Thus, the redox state of the GSH/GSSG pool may be central to a mechanism linking nutrient effects, growth factor responses and cell growth indices.

The GSH redox state in tissues can be expressed as the reduction potential of the GSH/GSSG redox couple (Eh). The reduction potential of the GSH pool (Eh) can be estimated using the Nernst equation

where R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, F is Faraday's constant and the standard potential (Eo) is for the GSH/GSSG redox couple for the relevant pH. The pH of the small intestinal and colonic mucosa was previously reported as 7.3–7.4 (Wang et al. 1993Citation ). If we assume that this is unaffected by the treatment used, we can use the GSH and GSSG values and Eo = -0.264 V (Clarke 1960Citation , Rost and Rapaport 1964Citation ) to estimate Eh. We found that Eh values were more positive, which is consistent with the GSH/GSSG ratio data, indicating a more oxidized GSH pool (or less reducing potential) with 25% ad libitum refeeding compared to ad libitum refeeding [jejunum: -193 mV (25%-saline injection [SAL]) vs. -203 mV (A-SAL); ileum: -189 mV vs. -209 mV; colon: -204 mV vs. -220 mV; P < 0.01]. KGF completely restored the gut mucosal GSH reducing capacity (Eh) in rats refed hypocaloric diets compared to those ad libitum refed [e.g., jejunum: -211 mV (25%-KGF) vs. -203 mV (A-SAL)]. Furthermore, KGF improved the reductant capacity of GSH during ad libitum refeeding in the jejunum and colon [jejunum: -209 mV(A-KGF) vs. -203 mV (A-SAL); colon: -243 mV vs. -220 mV; P < 0.05]. Similar to the GSH/GSSG ratio, the calculated Eh values show a proximal to distal graded shift to a more reducing state (jejunum -203 mV, ileum -209 mV, colon -220 mV; P < 0.05). However, one must bear in mind that these estimates assume no change in pH. In studies of rat muscle, Meynial-Denis et al. (1998)Citation found that during starvation intracellular pH increased by ~0.2U. An increase in 0.2 pH units is equivalent to a 12-mV more negative Eh value (more reducing). Direct measures of mucosal pH are needed to confirm the observed changes in GSH redox potential in the intestine.

Decreased mucosal GSH concentrations and reducing capacity associated with malnutrition may impair intestinal function because detoxification, mucus fluidity, nutrient transport/absorption and cell proliferation appear to be dependent upon tissue thiol status (Darmon et al. 1993Citation , Smith et al. 1996Citation ). Our data confirm observations by other investigators that food deprivation and protein deficiency decrease intestinal GSH content in rats (Meister 1991Citation , Ogasawara et al. 1989Citation , Jahoor et al. 1995Citation ). Intestinal GSH depletion in response to malnutrition may result from increased breakdown or decreased synthesis caused by a limited precursor amino acid supply (cysteine, glycine and glutamate) (Cornell and Meister 1976Citation , Cho et al. 1981Citation , Dahm and Jones 1994Citation ). Additionally, nutritional deprivation may alter cellular GSH transport or efflux, its oxidation to GSSG, or its use in conjugation reactions via glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase detoxification reactions (Bauman et al. 1998Citation , Dahm and Jones 1994Citation , Lu et al. 1996Citation , Meister 1991Citation ). Exogenous KGF may increase intestinal GSH during malnutrition by any of the above mechanisms.

It is possible that enhanced mucosal growth and cellularity itself increases gut mucosal GSH concentrations or shifts redox to a more reduced state. In studies of cultured rat hepatocytes, GSH synthesis was increased in cells plated at low density, which shifts cells from G0 to G1 phase of the cell cycle (Cai et al. 1995Citation ). The mRNA levels, protein expression and activity of {gamma}-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme for GSH synthesis, significantly increased with low cell density compared to cells plated at high density (Cai et al. 1995Citation ). Thus, KGF stimulation of epithelial growth, which in turn induces GSH synthesis, may represent a mechanism by which KGF improves mucosal GSH concentrations and redox state.

GSH levels in the rat intestine during normal ad libitum feeding were previously reported to be similar throughout the small and large intestine (Ogasawara 1989Citation , Seigers 1988Citation ). In contrast, our study showed that the colonic mucosa had a significantly higher GSH content and a more reducing GSH pool (GSH/GSSG and Eh) than did the jejunal and ileal mucosa. These region-specific differences were unaltered by the level of refeeding or KGF administration, indicating that a pronounced reducing environment exists in the distal bowel. In a study of endotoxin exposure in rats, GSH levels increased in the colon, but decreased in the duodenum and jejunum (Chen et al. 1988Citation ). Thus, the colon appears to have the capacity to maintain or increase mucosal GSH availability in response to stresses, such as malnutrition or exposure to endotoxin.

In summary, in rat models of altered levels of refeeding after prolonged food deprivation, the lower level of nutrient repletion markedly decreased GSH content and decreased the GSH/GSSG ratio in rat jejunal, ileal and colonic mucosa. The malnutrition-induced changes in GSH were completely prevented by recombinant KGF administration during refeeding. These results suggest that KGF may be a useful agent to improve GSH-dependent antioxidant functions in malnutrition and other conditions associated with gut mucosal oxidative stress.


    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
The authors sincerely thank C. L. Farrell, Department of Pathology, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA, for the donation of recombinant KGF.


    FOOTNOTES
 
1 Portions of this study presented at the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 22nd Clinical Congress, January 18–21, 1998, Orlando, FL. [Jonas, C. R., Estívariz, C. F., Gu, L. H., Jones, D. P. & Ziegler, T. R. (1998) Nutrient intake and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) regulate colonic mucosal glutathione redox state during enteral refeeding. J. Parent. Enteral. Nutr. 22: 56 (abs.).] Back

2 Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32DK07734 (C.R.J.), National Institutes of Health Clinical Associate Physician Award 3M01 RR00039–35S1, the Emory University Research Committee and Amgen Inc. (T.R.Z.), National Institutes of Health 5R01 ESO7892–09 (D.P.J.), National Institutes of Health General Clinical Research Center grant 3 MO1 RR00039 (T.R.Z. and G.A.C.) and the Spanish Instituto de Salud Carlos III del Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, B.A.E. 96/5515 and 97/5082 (C.F.E.). Back

4 Abbreviations used: CD, crypt depth; Eh, reduction potential; GSH, glutathione; GSSG, glutathione disulfide; KGF, keratinocyte growth factor; SAL, saline injection; TMH, total mucosal height. Back

Manuscript received September 24, 1998. Initial review completed January 25, 1999. Revision accepted March 30, 1999.


    REFERENCES
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 

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