Intestinal phenylalanine transport in the cultured gilthead bream (Sparus au rata)

Characterization of the segmental transport mechanisms of DL-methionine hydroxy analogue along the intestinal tract of rainbow trout with an additional comparison to DL-methionine

The aim of this study was to identify the unknown transport mechanism of the extensively used monocarboxylate methionine feed supplement DL-methionine hydroxy analogue (DL-MHA) in rainbow trout intestine. Transport across the pyloric caeca (PC), midgut (MG), and hindgut (HG) regions were kinetically studied in Na⁺- and H⁺-dependent manners. Gene expression of monocarboxylate (MCTs) and sodium monocarboxylate transporters (SMCTs) were assessed. Results demonstrated that DL-MHA transport from 0.2-20 mM was Na⁺-dependent and obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with low affinity in PC & MG in apical/basal pH of 7.7/7.7. Changes in apical/basal pH (6.0/6.0, 6.0/7.7, and 7.7/8.7) had insignificant effects on kinetics. In contrast, HG flux kinetics were only obtained in pH 7.7/8.7 or in the presence of lactate with medium affinity. Additionally, DL-MHA transport from 0-150 μM demonstrated the presence of a Na⁺-dependent high-affinity transporter in PC & MG. Conclusively, two distinct carrier-mediated DL-MHA transport mechanisms along the trout gut were found: 1) in PC & MG: apical transport was regulated by Na⁺-requiring systems that possibly contained low- and high-affinity transporters, and basolateral transport was primarily achieved through a H⁺-independent transporter; 2) in HG: uptake was apically mediated by a Na⁺-dependent transporter with medium affinity, and basolateral exit was largely controlled by an H⁺-dependent transporter. Finally, two major methionine feed supplements, DL-MHA and DL-methionine (DL-Met) were compared to understand the differences in their bioefficacy. Flux rates of DL-MHA were only about 42.2-66.0% in PC and MG compared to DL-Met, suggesting intestinal transport of DL-MHA was lower than DL-Met.

Isolation and characterization of enterocytes along the intestinal tract of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.)

Epithelial cells were successfully isolated along the intestine of the gilthead seabream using a dissociation method based on intracellular-like solutions. Biochemical and physiological tests revealed highly viable cells from all intestinal segments. Image analysis was used to identify cell types in the epithelial preparations which were highly enriched in enterocytes (>95%) over mucous cells. Several digestive hydrolases were determined in the isolated cells. Maltase (M), sucrase (S), leucine aminopeptidase (LA), 5'nucleotidase (5'N), but not gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) activities were found to be enriched in the epithelial preparations versus the corresponding intestinal homogenates. Comparison of digestive hydrolases revealed the existence of a clear heterogeneity in their expression pattern in the enterocytes, along the intestine. Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, Na(+)-ATPase and Cl(-)-ATPase activities were also determined in the membrane fraction of isolated cells. Analyses of enzymatic profiles revealed a clear asymmetry in the distribution of all Mg(2+)-dependent ATPases; that is, maximal Na(+)-K(+)- and Na(+)-ATPase activities were observed in the enterocytes from pyloric caeca, while Cl(-)-ATPase activity was about twice as high in the enterocytes from anterior and posterior intestines compared with pyloric caeca. This is the first report demonstrating the existence of heterogeneous metabolic and enzymatic profiles in different enterocyte populations from euryhaline teleosts.

Na-dependent D-Glucose Transport by Intestinal Brush Border Membrane Vesicles from Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata)

Brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) enriched in sucrase, maltase and alkaline phosphatase, and impoverished in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, were isolated from proximal and distal intestine of the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) by a MgCl(2) precipitation method. Vesicles were suitable for the study of the characteristics of D-glucose apical transport. Only one D-glucose carrier was found in vesicles from each intestinal segment. In both cases, the D-glucose transport system was sodium-dependent, phlorizin-sensitive, significantly inhibited by D-glucose, D-galactose, alpha-methyl-D-glucose, 3-O-methyl-D-glucose and 2-deoxy-D-glucose, and showed stereospecificity. Apparent affinity constants of D-glucose transport (K(t)) were 0.24 +/- 0.03 mM in proximal and 0.18 +/- 0.03 mM in distal intestine. Maximal rate of influx (Jmax) was 47.3 +/- 2.2 pmols. mg(-1) protein for proximal and 27.3 +/- 3.6 pmols. mg(-1) protein for distal intestine. Specific phlorizin binding and relative abundance of an anti-SGLT1 reactive protein were significantly higher in proximal than in distal BBMV. These results suggest the presence of the same D-glucose transporter along the intestine, with a higher density in the proximal portion. This transporter is compatible with the sodium-dependent D-glucose carrier described for other fish and with the SGLT1 of higher vertebrates.