Effect of Sucrose Feeding on the Intestinal Transport of Sugars in Two Strains of Rats

Abstract

The rates of intestinal transport of dietary monosaccharides and disaccharides were determined in Wistar rats and the carbohydrate-sensitive BHE rats fed either a stock diet or a 65% sucrose diet. Sucrose-fed rats of both strains generally showed large and significant increases in the rates of glucose, α-methylglucose, fructose, and sucrose transport. The transport of galactose, maltose, and lactose did not show consistent increases due to sucrose feeding. Although the magnitude of the increases in sugar transport due to sucrose feeding was only slightly greater in BHE rats than in Wistar rats, BHE rats tended to exhibit a greater rate of sugar transport when fed either diet. Increases in serum insulin levels were observed in the sucrose-fed rats of both strains and in the BHE rats fed the stock diet. Lipogenic enzyme activity was greatly increased as a result of sucrose feeding; however, BHE rats did not show greater levels of enzyme activity than did Wistar rats. Liver lipids were increased in both the Wistar and the BHE sucrose-fed rats and in BHE rats fed either diet.