Cecal butyrate (B) infusion causes increased cecal and jejunal cell proliferation (CP) in piglets

B causes decreased CP in cultured colonocytes. Lactulose feeding caused decreased cecal CP and increased cecal luminal B synthesis (3.0 vs. 1.7 μmol/kg/min). We hypothesized that cecal B infusion would cause decreased cecal CP. Piglets (N=12; 11‐13 d age) were orally fed control formula for 10 d, and after 6 d, underwent catheter insertion to receive 4‐d cecal infusions of B (2.3 μmol/kg/min)(B, N =6) or saline (C). On d 4 post‐op, we assessed fractional cecal and jejunal CP, cecal pH, cecal crypt depth, jejunal villus height, and cecal mucosal injury score (0 ‐ 3). Cecal and jejunal CP were 121% and 120% higher in B compared to C (mean ± S.E.M.): respectively 0.42 ± 0.02 vs. 0.19 ±0.02 (P < 0.001) and 0.22 ±0. 01 vs. 0.10 ± 01) (P < 0.001). Similar results were noted for the lower 40% of the cecal crypt, but there was no group difference for the upper 40% of the crypt. sThere was no effect of group on post‐op weight gain (44.7 ±6.6 and 54.0 ±5.5 g/kg/d), cecal injury score (0.67 ±0.33 vs. 0.17 ±0.17), cecal pH (7.01 ±0.2 vs. 7.04 ±0.1), cecal crypt depth, villus height or frequency of diarrhea (0 in B). Thus, at physiological doses, cecal BA increases CP in cecum and has systemic, stimulatory effects on small intestinal CP. (Support: DK61775).