Differential regulation of mRNAs encoding for rat intestinal alkaline phosphatase

A cDNA probe encoding the entire structural region of the 62-kDa rat intestinal alkaline phosphatase from amino acid residues 1 to 531 detected multiple mRNA species (3.0, 2.7, and 2.2 kb) in rat intestinal RNA. The 3.0-kb species was most evident in duodenum but could be easily detected in jejunum using a 48-mer oligonucleotide encoding amino acid residues 492-58. This 48-mer oligonucleotide bound preferentially to the 3.0-kb mRNA, suggesting that the 2.7-kb mRNA differed in this region. To determine whether each of the mRNAs encoding rat intestinal alkaline phosphatase responded coordinately to physiological stimuli, the full-length cDNA and the 48-mer oligonucleotide were used as probes for the 2.7- and 2.2-kb and the 3.0-kb mRNAs, respectively. Intestinal mRNA concentration was measured by Northern blot analysis in acute (single feed, 17 kcal) and chronic (3 wk, 30% fat diet) fat feeding and in rachitic rats after 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ therapy. There was a large increase (8- to 25-fold) in the 3.0-kb mRNA 7 h after acute fat feeding, with a much smaller increase (1.4- to 5.0-fold) in the 2.7- and 2.2-kb species. The peak in 3.0-kb mRNA accumulation correlated in time with the maximal activity of serum phosphatase activity after acute fat feeding (4- to 5-fold increase). In contrast, there was a much smaller increase in all mRNAs and in tissue and serum enzyme activity after chronic fat feeding. Moreover, in vitamin D-treated rachitic rats, both the 2.7- and 3.0-kb mRNAs as well as the membranous and serum phosphatase activities, were equally stimulated (1.5- to 2.5-fold). These data show that certain physiological events can trigger noncoordinate expression of the intestinal alkaline phosphatase mRNAs.