Effects of native and hydrolyzed whey protein on intestinal repair of severely starved rats at weaning

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two sources of dietary nitrogen (isolated whey protein and hydrolyzed whey protein) on the intestinal repair of malnourished rats at weaning. The malnutrition was achieved by a 3 days' starvation period. Normally fed male Wistar rats were used as controls. Intestinal repair was studied after a refeeding period of 4 days. The parameters studied included nitrogen balance, lactase, sucrase, isomaltase, and maltase activities of the jejunum; liver acetylcholinesterase and glutamate dehydrogenase activities; and the serum amino acid profile. In addition, tests of intestinal permeability to macromolecules were performed by measurement of ovalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin in serum. Both diets led to the recovery of the severely starved rats, in terms of the values of all the parameters evaluated. The serum beta-lactoglobulin was the only exception, because its concentration was significantly lower in the normally fed animals. This study suggests that the intestinal mucosal barrier is not completely repaired, even after a 4-day refeeding period, to the point of being suitable to accept an increase in the uptake of antigens.