Rates of small intestinal mucosal protein synthesis in human jejunum and ileum

We investigated possible differences in the rates of mucosal protein synthesis between the proximal and distal regions of the small intestine. We took advantage of access to the gut mucosa available in otherwise healthy patients with ileostomy in whom the terminal ileum was histologically normal. All subjects received primed, continuous intravenous infusions of L-[1-C-13]leucine after an overnight fast. After 4 h of tracer infusion, jejunal biopsies were obtained using a Crosby-Kugler capsule introduced orally; ileal biopsies were obtained via endoscopy via the ileostomy. Protein synthesis was calculated from protein labeling relative to intracellular leucine enrichment obtained by appropriate mass spectrometric measurements. Rates of jejunal and ileal mucosal protein synthesis were significantly different (P < 0.001) at 2.14 +/- 0.2 and 1.2 +/- 0.2 %/h (means +/- SD). These are lower than rates in normal healthy duodenum (2.53 +/- 0.25 %/h), suggesting a gradation of rates of synthesis along the bowel. Together with other data, these results suggest that mucosae of the bowel contribute not more than 10% to whole body protein turnover.