Absence of concurrent permeability changes of intestinal mucosa in association with cholera toxin induced secretion

To determine if cholera enterotoxin fluid secretion is associated with a change in intestinal mucosal permeability, the ratios of pairs of isotopically labeled molecules appearing in intestinal fluid were measured after intravenous injection and compared to plasma ratios. Although the method detected an increase in mucosal permeability induced by Na EDTA, no differences were found in mucosa permeability to ³HOH, ¹⁴C urea, ¹⁴C creatinine and ¹⁴C lactose in in vivo rabbit jejunal loops of control animals and animals with intestinal secretion induced by cholera enterotoxin or perfusion of the loop with a hypertonic solution. It is concluded from these results that cholera enterotoxin does not alter the mucosal permeability of the intestine and a change in intestinal permeability is not involved in the pathogenesis of the massive loss of fluid into the intestine which characterizes cholera.