Consumption of a natural high intensity sweetener enhances activity and expression of rabbit intestinal Na+/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) and improves colibacillosis- induced enteric disorders.

Absorption of glucose, via intestinal Na⁺/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), activates salt and water absorption and is an effective route for treating Escherichia coli (E. coli)-induced diarrhea. Activity and expression of SGLT1 is regulated by sensing of sugars and artificial/natural sweeteners by the intestinal sweet receptor, T1R2-T1R3 expressed in enteroendocrine cells. Diarrhea, caused by the bacterial pathogen E-coli is the most common post-weaning clinical feature in rabbits, leading to mortality. We demonstrate here, that in rabbits with experimentally E-coli-induced diarrhea, inclusion of a supplement containing stevia leaf extract (SL) in the feed decreases cumulative morbidity, improving clinical signs of disease (p <0.01). We show that the rabbit intestine expresses T1R2-T1R3. Furthermore, intake of SL enhances activity and expression of SGLT1, and the intestinal capacity to absorb glucose (1.8-fold increase, p <0.05). Thus, a natural plant extract sweetener can act as an effective feed additive for lessening the negative impact of enteric disease in animals.