Influence of the Digestive Tract on Enzyme Activity

Enzyme activity at the digestive tract level was experimentally studied on rabbits and mini-pigs. The enzyme activity in the blood flow supplied to and from the rabbit stomach and intestines was assessed. In rabbits, the arteriovenous oxygen difference revealed a decrease in the lactate dehydrogenase and amylase activity under an increase in the alkaline phosphatase activity. A regular dependence in the dynamics of gamma-glutamyl transferase activity in the intestinal mucosa and chyme fractions was established. It was found that gamma-glutamyl transferase activity decreases in the distal direction in the mucosa of the small intestine wall. Its maximum activity was determined in the soluble fraction of the small intestine chyme, with a characteristic decrease in the distal direction. Due to the hydration of the cavitary mucus glycoproteins in the chyme and the existence of the latter in the form of an enteroplasm, the enzyme is assumed to localize in the enteric medium between the soluble and dense endogenous fraction with the purpose of displaying the maximum transport activity. A conclusion was made about the plasma-forming role of the digestive tract in terms of blood enzyme activity.