title: Nitric oxide production during Vibrio cholerae infection.
abstract: Vibrio cholerae induces massive intestinal fluid secretion that continues for the life of the stimulated epithelial cells. Enhanced regional blood flow and peristalsis are required to adapt to this obligatory intestinal secretory challenge. Nitric oxide (NO) is a multifunctional molecule that modulates blood flow and peristalsis and possesses both cytotoxic and antibacterial activity. We demonstrate that, compared with those in asymptomatic control subjects, levels of stable NO metabolites (NO2-/NO3-) are significantly increased in sera from acutely ill Peruvian patients with natural cholera infection as well as from symptomatic volunteers from the United States infected experimentally with V. cholerae. In a rabbit ileal loop model in vivo, cholera toxin (CT) elicited fluid secretion and dose-dependent increases in levels of NO2-/NO3- in the fluid (P < 0.01). In contrast, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) elicited no such effects when applied to the intact mucosa. NO synthase (NOS) catalytic activity also increased in toxin-exposed tissues (P < 0.05), predominantly in epithelial cells. The CT-induced NOS activity was Ca2+ dependent and was not suppressed by dexamethasone. In conclusion, symptomatic V. cholerae infection induces NO production in humans. In the related animal model, CT, but not LPS, stimulated significant production of NO in association with increases in local Ca(2+)-dependent NOS activity in the tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Janoff
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Fasching
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kenner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jaimes
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raij
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002771:Cholera / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008058:Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000201:enzymology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D008981:Molsidomine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000201:enzymology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D010568:Peru; D011817:Rabbits; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C002385:linsidomine; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D008981:Molsidomine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D008058:Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase