EFFECT OF VIRUS-INDUCED DESTRUCTION OF VILLOUS EPITHELIUM ON INTESTINAL SECRETION INDUCED BY HEAT-STABLE ESCHERICHIA-COLI ENTEROTOXINS AND PROSTAGLANDIN-E1 IN SWINE

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (3) , 637-642
Abstract
Villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia were induced in the jejunal epithelium of thirteen 3 wk old pigs by inoculation with transmissible gastroenteritis virus. The responses (changes in net fluid movement) induced in ligated intestinal loops of these pigs by intraloop injections of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) or E. coli broth culture infiltrates containing either or both E. coli heat-stable enterotoxins (STa and STb) were compared with the responses induced by these preparations in littermates not inoculated with virus. Villous atrophy was associated with a marked decrease in response to preparations containing STa, STb or STa + STb, but the response to PGE1 was undiminished. Evidently, the response to cAMP-mediated secretogogues (PGE1) is a function of crypt epithelium; the present results also suggest that the secretory response to STa and to STb is dependent on the integrity of the villous epithelium. In the present study, loss of villous epithelium was associated with loss of response to STa and STb, but not to PGE1.