Alterations in the intestinal brush border membrane structure and function in chronic DDT-exposed monkeys

Intestinal uptake of d-glucose, l-leucine, and glycine is considerably enhanced in monkeys exposed to subacute doses of DDT for 100 days. The brush border sucrase and lactase activities were also significantly elevated but there was no change in alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and Mg²⁺-ATPase activities in the pesticide-administered animals compared to controls. Kinetic evidence revealed that augmentation of disaccharidases in the pesticide-treated animals is because of an increase in the enzyme content. Cholesterol and triglyceride fractions of the brush border membrane were also elevated but sialic acid content was reduced in the insecticide-treated animals compared to control group. These results suggest that observed changes in the functional activity of the enterocytes in DDT toxicity are possibly related to the alterations in the brush border membrane structural organization.