title: The effect of endotoxin on intestinal mucosal permeability to bacteria in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the role of the intestinal mucosa in bacterial translocation, in vitro bacterial passage across ileal mucosal segments mounted in Ussing chambers were studied in control and endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide)-treated rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of rats were studied. The experimental group received an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide, while controls received an equivalent volume of saline solution; a third group received no treatment. Twenty-four hours later, all groups underwent laparotomy and organ culture to assess bacterial translocation. At the same time, a segment of mucosa from the terminal ileum of each animal was mounted in a Ussing chamber, and the transmucosal passage of labeled Escherichia coli from the luminal to serosal surface was assessed by results of serial cultures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vivo bacterial translocation occurred in 100% of the lipopolysaccharide-treated animals, significantly higher than the incidence seen in controls (25%; P < .05). In vitro passage of labeled E coli across ileal mucosa in the Ussing chamber occurred in 78% of lipopolysaccharide-treated animals, while in controls transmucosal passage was seen in only 14% (P < .05). Histologic examination of mucosa from both groups using light and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated no structural differences between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased permeability to bacteria at the mucosal level contributes to the bacterial translocation seen in endotoxemia.
authors: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors: L L
authors: LL
authors: Go
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Healey
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Watkins
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: Simmons
authors: M I
authors: MI
authors: Rowe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology*; D007082:Ileum / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides