title: Intraperitoneal administration of Shiga toxin 2 induced neuronal alterations and reduced the expression levels of aquaporin 1 and aquaporin 4 in rat brain.
abstract: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli produces watery and hemorrhagic diarrhea, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and acute renal failure. Central nervous system (CNS) complications are observed in around 30% of infant population with HUS. Common signs of severe CNS involvement leading to death include seizures, alteration of consciousness, hemiparesis, visual disturbances, and brain stem symptoms. The purpose of the present work was to study the effects of Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) in the brain of rats intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with a supernatant from recombinant E. coli expressing Stx2 (sStx2). Neurological alterations such as postural and motor abnormalities including lethargy, abnormal walking, and paralysis of hind legs, were observed in this experimental model of HUS in rats. Neuronal damage, as well as significant decrease in aquaporin 1 (AQP1) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression levels were observed in the brain of rats, 2 days after sStx2 injection, compared to controls. Downregulation of aquaporin protein levels, and neuronal alterations, observed in brain of rats injected with sStx2, may be involved in edema formation and in neurological manifestations characteristic of HUS.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Soledad
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lucero
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mirarchi
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silberstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051398:Aquaporin 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D051401:Aquaporin 4; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2; D051398:Aquaporin 1