title: Lack of evidence in vivo for a remote effect of Escherichia coli heat stable enterotoxin on jejunal fluid absorption.
abstract: On contact with the mucosa, heat stable (STa) enterotoxin from Escherichia coli reduces fluid absorption in vivo in the perfused jejunum of the anaesthetized rat. The question of whether it also has a vagally mediated remote action on jejunal absorption, when instilled into the ileum, was re-examined, given contradictory findings in the literature. A standard perfused loop preparation was used to measure luminal uptake of fluid in vivo by means of volume recovery. STa in the ileum was found to have no effect on jejunal absorption, regardless of cervical or sub-diaphragmatic vagotomy and also regardless of the nature of the perfusate anion. The batches of toxin were shown in parallel experiments to reduce fluid absorption directly in the jejunum and also in the ileum. Similarly, vagal nerves prior to section had demonstrable in vivo physiological function. There was therefore no evidence for an indirect, vagally mediated ileal effect of STa on proximal fluid absorption.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Physiology, Division of Neuroscience & Biomedical Systems, Institute of Biomedical & Life Science, Glasgow University, Glasgow, UK. M.Lucas@bio.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: o'reilly
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McIlvenny
authors.forename: Y B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology*; D007419:Intestinal Secretions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C034151:heat stable toxin (E coli)