Intestinal mucosal epithelial cell electrophoretic mobility and brush border chemistry during experimental cholera

Abstract

Exposure of the rabbit ileal mucosa to cholera toxin in vivo resulted in a net efflux of water and electrolytes such that fluid accumulated in ileal loops. There was a significant decrease in the phospholipid and cholesterol content but not the lipid galactose content of purified brush borders isolated from toxin-treated loops when compared with control loops from the same animals. The activities of at least two membrane associated enzymes were also decreased by the toxin. Exposure to cholera toxin decreased brush border sialic acids and this together with the reduction in membrane phospholipids probably accounted for an observed reduction in the electrophoretic mobility of isolated mucosal epithelial cells. Despite the lack of overt ultrastructural damage experimental cholera in the adult rabbit produces major chemical lesions in the lining of the intestinal lumen. These changes in the brush border chemistry may play an important role in the production of the copious diarrhea seen in this disease.