Chaiyot Tanrattana. Studies of prolactin action on solvent drag-induced active calcium transport in rat duodenum . Master's Degree(Physiology). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2003.
Studies of prolactin action on solvent drag-induced active calcium transport in rat duodenum
Abstract:
Duodenal active calcium (Ca) absorption consists of two pathways i.e.,
transcellular and solvent drag-induced paracellular pathway. We have recently shown
that prolactin (PRL), with its novel role in the regulation of Ca metabolism, enhanced
the transcellular component. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the acute
PRL effect on the paracellular active Ca transport in the duodunum of 200-250 g
female Wistar rats. Ussing chamber technique was used to measure the electrical
parameters and the bidirectional calcium fluxes (as calculated from specific activity of
45Ca). The transcellular Ca transport was inhibited by adding Ca2+ATPase inhibitor
into the serosal solution.
PRL in the concentrations of 200 and 600 ng/ml significantly increased the
mucosa-to-serosa flux of calcium from the control value of 24.3 + 2.36 nmol.hr-1.cm-2
to 45.42 + 3.47 (p<0.01) and 63.82 + 5.28 nmol.hr-1.cm-2 (p<0.001) in a dose-response
manner. Higher concentrations of 800 and 1,000 ng/ml however, returned the fluxes
towards control value i.e., 53.93 + 5.41 and 29.05+2.61 nmol.hr-1.cm-2 thus showing
the biphasic action of PRL. Plotting of the mucosa-to-serosa and serosa-to-mucosa
flux ratio confirmed the existence of the two components of the active Ca absorption.
The finding that prolactin had no effct on the jejunum while cytochalasin E (inhibitor
of cytoskeleton activity) increased the flux of mannitol (a paracellular marker) in the
jejunum without affecting the mucosa-to-serosa flux of Ca demonstrated the separate
size and charge selective properties of tight junction. In contrast, duodenal mannitol
flux was not affected by cytochalasin E, while calcium flux was significantly
enhanced by 600 ng PRL/ml. The results suggested that (i) duodenal and jejunal tight
junctions were structurally different, and (ii) PRL altered the charge selectivity of the
intercellular channels without affecting the size selectivity of duodenal tight junction.
Therefore, it was concluded that PRL directly and acutely enhanced the
paracellular solvent drag-induced active calcium absorption in the duodenum. This
paracellular transport mechanism for calcium was not directly related to the junctional
transport of mannitol.