Effect of chronic ethanol and food deprivation on intestinal villus morphology and brush border membrane content of lipid and marker enzymes.

Brush border membranes (BBM) were isolated from the jejunum and ileum of control, ad libitum (CAL); control, food-restricted (CFR); control, weight gain (CWG); and ethanol-fed (EF) rabbits. Jejunal alkaline phosphatase activity was similar among control groups, but higher in CAL than EF animals. Sucrase activity was higher in EF and CWG animals than in CAL and CFR. The alkaline phosphatase/sucrase ratio was lower in EF than control animals. Ileal enzyme marker activity was similar among EF and control animals. Sucrase (S) activity was lower in the ileum than in the jejunum. Jejunal free fatty acid and phospholipid/cholesterol (PL/C) were lower in EF than control animals, whereas ileal lipid content was generally similar among all animal groups. Total phospholipid content was similar between sites, but the cholesterol and free fatty acid content were lower in the ileum than the jejunum. The phospholipid/cholesterol ratio was increased only in the ileum of EF animals. The amount of lecithin was decreased in the jejunal BBM of EF animals resulting in a decreased choline/amine phospholipid ratio as compared with control animals. The ileal phospholipid composition was similar among all groups. A large increase in villus height is observed in the jejunum of EF animals. Villus surface area and mucosal surface area are altered with ethanol feeding and food deprivation. Thus, (i) there is a gradient of S and cholesterol between the BBM of jejunum and ileum; (ii) changes in food intake are associated with changes in the morphology as well as the enzyme marker and lipid content of BBM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)