title: Gates of Janus: cystic fibrosis and diarrhea.
abstract: Heat-stable enterotoxin, produced by Escherichia coli, binds to particulate guanylate cyclase to increase cyclic GMP in intestinal cells. This in turn stimulates the cyclic-GMP- or cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase, activating the same chloride channel that is defective in cystic fibrosis. It is possible that the relatively high prevalence of cystic fibrosis in humans results from its protective effect against diarrhea.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21209.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Guggino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000378:metabolism*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006801:Humans; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C505032:CFTR protein, human; D018118:Chloride Channels; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C034151:heat stable toxin (E coli); D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator; D006152:Cyclic GMP