Background: Questions regarding functional markers characterizing injured intestines remain unanswered. Brush border disaccharidases are crucial for the functioning of the intestines.
Aims: The study was designed to assess changes in disaccharidase activity (DA) following intestinal injury and to compare them with morphological changes.
Methods: Wistar rats, randomly divided into six experimental groups (each n = 6), were subjected to different ischemic/reperfusion injury. One-hour mesenteric ischemia followed by reperfusion for 0, 1, 2, 4, 12 or 24 hours was induced. As a control group sham-operated animals were used (n = 6). Intestine morphology was evaluated using histopathological injury index (HII) and goblet cell (GC) detection. DA (sucrase and maltase) was studied in mucosal scrape or in entire intestinal wall samples.
Results: Moderate morphological damage (HII, GC) after mesenteric ischemia was detected. Deepening of the injury was found during reperfusion with a maximum after two hours. Improved morphology with longer reperfusion confirmed reversible damage with almost normal mucosal structure after 24 hours of reperfusion. Similar pattern was observed when DA was measured. The lowest activity was detected after 2 hours of reperfusion followed by increasing activity in the subsequent reperfusion periods. Physiological values after 24 hours of reperfusion were seen only in samples of entire intestinal wall.
Conclusions: Significant changes in intestinal DA were observed after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury. A similar pattern was seen for morphological characteristics. Although based on microscopic survey the intestine seems to be fairly regenerated, some functional limitation is expected to persist.