title: Verotoxin-binding in human renal sections.
abstract: Gastrointestinal infection with verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) has been strongly implicated in the etiology of the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of pediatric acute renal failure. The binding of fluorescein-conjugated VT1 overlaid on to frozen human renal sections has been examined. Sections from biopsies of infants aged < 2 years were compared with those from adult autopsies. VT primarily stained distal convoluted tubules, particularly those adjacent to glomeruli, and collecting ducts. VT-binding was detected within the infant glomerulus but not the adult. Binding of the toxin was removed when the section was pretreated with alpha-galactosidase, confirming the receptor-binding specificity for globotriaosyl ceramide (gal alpha 1-4gal beta 1-4 glucosylceramide), the glycolipid receptor for VT. These studies may suggest that differential localization of this glycolipid in the pediatric renal glomerulus is a risk factor for the development of HUS following infection with VTEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lingwood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006530:Hepatorenal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009402:Nephrosis, Lipoid / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D014281:Trihexosylceramides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000519:alpha-Galactosidase / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006017:Glycolipids; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; C068556:Shiga-like toxin receptor; D014281:Trihexosylceramides; C018549:globotriaosylceramide; D000519:alpha-Galactosidase