Induction of intestinal malabsorption syndrome in rats fed with Agaricus bisporus mushroom lectin

Young Sprague-Dawley rats were fed rat chow containing 25-75% dried Agaricus bisporus mushroom or 100 mg of purified lectin. Animals fed mushroom concentrations of greater than or equal to 50% or purified lectin showed a significant decrease in body weight and protein digestibility. Their small intestine showed a flattened mucosa with fused villi as well as alterations from the columnar to the cuboidal type of absorptive surface cells. We have identified in the intestinal mucosa saccharidic structures containing galactose-(beta 1,3)GalNAc that might be involved in the lectin-intestinal surface interaction