title: Attachment of E. coli-bearing K88 antigen to equine brush-border membranes.
abstract: Equine small intestinal brush-border membranes, from 40 adult horses were tested in vitro for the presence of receptors for the Escherichia coli adhesive antigens K88ab, K88ac and K99. Only K88-positive strains of E. coli adhered strongly to horse brush-border membranes. In contrast, a K88-negative mutant strain J2, 2 K99-positive strains and 3 E. coli strains isolated from foals failed to adhere to horse brush-border membranes. Purified K88ac pili when reacted with equine brush-border membranes inhibited to a great extent the adhesion of K88-positive E. coli. Similarly, K88-positive E. coli previously reacted with K88 antibody, did not attach to equine brush-border membranes. Oral inoculation of 4 newborn foals with strains of K88-positive enterotoxigenic E. coli, producing either heat-stable or heat-labile enterotoxin, caused diarrhoea in 1 animal.
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses / Q000382:microbiology*; D007082:Ileum / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000201:enzymology; D008871:Microvilli / Q000382:microbiology; D011946:Receptors, Antigen / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C026888:K88 antigen, E coli; C031429:K99 antigen; D011946:Receptors, Antigen; C034151:heat stable toxin (E coli); D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase