Changes of biological functions of dipeptide transporter (PepT1) and hormonal regulation in severe scald rats

Aim: To determine the regulatory effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on dipeptide transport (PepT1) in normal and severe scald rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats with 30 % total body surface area (TBSA) III degree scald were employed as the model. In this study rhGH was used at the dose of 2 IU.kg^-1d^-1. An everted sleeve of intestine 4 cm long obtained from mid-jejunum was securely incubated in Kreb's solution with radioactive dipeptide (³H-glycylsarcosine, ³H-Gly-Sar, 10 μCi/ml) at 37 °C for 15 min to measure the effects of uptake and transport of PepT1 of small intestinal epithelial cells in normal and severe scald rats. Result;: Abundant blood supply to intestine and mesentery was observed in normal and scald rats administered rhGH, while less supply of blood to intestine and mesentery was observed in rats without rhGH. Compared with controls, the transport of dipeptide in normal rats with injection of rhGH was not significantly increased (P=0.1926), while the uptake was significantly increased (P=0.0253). The effects of transport and uptake of PepT1 in scald rats with injection of rhGH were significantly increased (P=0.0082, 0.0391). Conclusion: Blood supply to intestine and mesentery of rats was increased following injection of rhGH. The effects of uptake and transport of dipeptide transporters in small intestinal epithelial cells of rats with severe scald were markedly up-regulated by rhGH.