title: Induction of increased permeability of polarized enterocyte monolayers by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin.
abstract: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a common cause of acute diarrhea in resource-poor settings. We report that some ETEC strains elicit a reduction in trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TER) in polarized T84 epithelial cell monolayers. The effect was irreversible up to 48 hours after a three-hour infection and was observed with heat-labile enterotoxin (LT)-producing strains, but not with heat-stable enterotoxin (ST)-producing strains. Using purified LT, a mutant with reduced ADP-ribosylating activity, and the LT-B subunit alone, we demonstrate that TER reduction requires a functional enterotoxin. Treatment of monolayers with LT or LT-producing strains of ETEC increases paracellular permeability to fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran. Our data suggest that LT-producing ETEC strains may induce intestinal barrier dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. rkrei001@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Roderick B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Kreisberg
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Maura C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Strauman
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marohn
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nataro
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D002460:Cell Line; D017097:Electric Impedance; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D054307:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010539:Permeability
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C027538:heat-labile enterotoxin, E coli