Summary
In order to reveal the absorption process of elastase from the intestine, hog pancreatic elastase was injected into the ligated jejunum lumen of the rat, and the tissues were cytochemically observed at various times after injection. The peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP) method using anti-hog-elastase rabbit antibody was used for light microscopy, and the anti-elastase Fab′-peroxidase conjugate was used for electron microscopy. The tissues stained by the PAP method exhibited a dense deposition of reaction products on the luminal surface of epithelial cells and a moderate deposition in the blood and lymph capillaries of the intestinal villi. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the reaction product was deposited on the surface of the microvilli and in their pocketing; some was found in the pinocytotic vesicles in the terminal-web area and on the inner surface of the enlarged smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Round droplets which gave a positive reaction were found in the widened intercellular cleft and the thick basement membrane lining the blood capillaries and lymphatics. The jejunum retained its normal ultrastructure. The results indicate that the elastase molecules, which were introduced into the rat jejunum lumen, were absorbed without being decomposed through healthy intestinal epithelial cells by pinocytosis and translocated into blood and lymph capillaries.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ascoli M (1902) Ueber den Mechanismus der Albuminurie durch Eiereiweiss. Münch Med Wochenschr 49:398–401
Bloom W, Fawcett DW (1973) A textbook of histology. WB Saunders, Philadelphia London Toronto, pp 658–687
Brown WR, Isobe Y, Nakane PK (1976) Studies on translocation of immunoglobulins across intestinal epithelium. II. Immunoelectronmicroscopic localization of immunoglobulins and secretory component in human intestinal mucosa. Gastroenterology 71:985–995
Campbell EJ, Wald MS (1983) Hypoxic injury to human alveolar macrophages accelerates release of previously bound neutrophil elastase. Am Rev Respir Dis 127:631–635
Cardell RR Jr, Badenhausen S, Porter KR (1967) Intestinal triglyceride absorption in the rat. An electron microscopical study. J Cell Biol 34:123–155
Clark SL (1959) The ingestion of proteins and colloidal materials by columnar absorptive cells of the small intestine in suckling rats and mice. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 5:41–50
Cornell R, Walker WA, Isselbacher KJ (1971) Small intestinal absorption of horseradish peroxidase: A cytochemical study. Lab Invest 25:42–48
Graham RC, Karnovsky MJ (1966) The carly stage of absorption of injected horsradish peroxidase in the proximal tubule of the mouse kidney: Ultrastructural cytochemistry by a new technique. J Histochem Cytochem 14:291–302
Graney DO (1968) The uptake of ferritin by ileal absorptive cells in suckling rats. An electron microscope study. Am J Anat 123:227–254
Havemann K, Gramse M, Gassel WD (1983) Cytochemical determination of granulocyte elastase and chymotrypsin in human myeloid cells and its application in acquired deficiency states and diagnosis of myeloid leukemia. Klin Wochenschr 61:49–56
Hemmings WA, Williams EW (1977) Quantitative and visualization studies of the transport of rat and bovine IgG and ferritin across the segments of the small intestine of the suckling rat. Proc R Soc Lond B 197:425–440
Hemmings C, Hemmings WA, Patey AL, Wood C (1977) The ingestion of dietory protein as large molecular mass degradation products in adult rats. Proc R Soc Lond B 198:439–453
Janoff A, Raju L, Dearing R (1983) Levels of elastase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of healthy smokers and nonsmokers. Am Rev Respir Dis 127:540–544
Jones EA, Waldmann TA (1972) The mechanism of intestinal uptake and transcellular transport of IgG in the neonatal rat. J Clin Invest 51:2916–2927
Katayama K, Fujita T (1972a) Studies on biotransformation of elastase. I. Transport of 131I-labelled elastase across rat intestine in vitro. Biochim Biophys Acta 288:172–180
Katayama K, Fujita T (1972b) Studies on biotransformation of elastase. II. Intestinal absorption of 131I-labelled elastase in vivo. Biochim Biophys Acta 288:181–189
Miyata K, Hirai S, Yashiki T, Tomoda K (1980) Intestinal absorption of Serratia protease. J Appl Biochem 2:111–116
Murachi T (1979) Intestinal absorption of enzyme proteins. In: Yagi K (ed) Biochemical aspects of nutrition. Japan Scientific Societies Press, Tokyo, pp 67–76
Nakane PK (1979) Preparation and standardization of enzymelabelled conjugates. In: Nakamura KM, Dito WR, Tucker ES (eds) Immunoassays in the clinical laboratory. Alan R Liss, New York, pp 81–87
Rodewald R (1970) Selective antibody transport in the proximal small intestine of the neonatal rat. J Cell Biol 45:635–640
Smyth RD, Brennan RT, Martin GJ (1964) Studies establishing the absorption of the bromelains (Proteolytic enzymes) from the gastrointestinal tract. Exp Med Surg 22:46–59
Stradley RP, Yeary RA (1977) Site of horseradish-peroxidase transport by the small intestine of the neonatal rat. Biol Neonate 31:167–172
Utsumi S, Karush F (1965) Peptic fragmentation of rabbit γ G-immunoglobulin. Biochemistry 4:1766–1779
Walker WA, Isselbacher KJ, Block KJ (1972a) Intestinal uptake of macromolecules: Effect of oral immunization. Science 177:608–611
Walker WA, Cornell R, Davenport LM, Isselbacher KJ (1972b) Macromolecular absorption. Mechanism of horseradish peroxidase uptake and transport in adult and neonatal rat intestine. J Cell Biol 54:195–205
Walker WA, Wu M, Isselbacher KJ, Block KJ (1975) Intestinal uptake of macromolecules. III. Studies on the mechanism by which immunization interferes with antigen uptake. J Immunol 115:854–861
Warshaw AL, Walker WA, Cornell R, Isselbacher KJ (1971) Small intestinal permeability to macromolecules. Transmission of horseradish peroxidase into mesenteric lymph and protal blood. Lab Invest 25:675–684
Warshaw AL, Walker WA, Isselbacher KJ (1974) Protein uptake by the intestine: Evidence for absorption of intact macromolecules. Gastroenterology 66:987–992
Williams EW, Hemmings WA (1978) Intestinal uptake and transport of proteins in the adult rat. Proc R Soc Lond B 203:177–189
Yokota S, Tsuji H, Kato K (1984) Localization of lysosomal and peroxisomal enzymes in the specific granules of rat intestinal eosinophil leukocytes revealed by immunoelectron microscopic techniques. J Histochem Cytochem 32:267–274
Zamboni L, DeMartino C (1967) Buffered picric acid-formaldehyde: A new, rapid fixative for electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 35:148A
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tsujii, T., Akita, M., Katayama, K. et al. Absorption of elastase through the jejunal mucosa of the rat. Histochemistry 81, 427–433 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00489745
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00489745