Effect of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, and C, on ion transport and permeability across the flounder intestine.

Abstract

SummaryPurified staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, and C added to the mucosal and serosal bathing solution of winter flounder intestine in vitro caused changes in ion fluxes and electrical properties. An increase in Na and Cl fluxes was observed after the addition of these enterotoxins, with the greatest increase being in the serosal to mucosal flux for each ion resulting in an upward movement of both PD and Isc. In the staphylococcal enterotoxin treated intestine, the membrane permeability to small solute such as urea and thiourea did not increase significantly. The tissue resistance and the residual flux (JRnet) did not change significantly after adding the enterotoxins, suggesting that staphylococcal enterotoxins increase PD and Isc by stimulating active Na and Cl secretion via an electrogenic mechanism.