Abstract
Epithelial transport and degradation of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was studied in conventional and germ-free suckling mice following an experimental infection with rotavirus. Conventional and germ-free mice developed diarrhea from days 2 to 8 post-infection (pi), with growth failure. Infectious virus detected by immunofluorescence was present in mucosal homogenates of germ-free mice up to day 8 pi, but persisted longer (day 13 pi) in conventional mice. Only mild histological lesions were associated with diarrhea but macrovacuolation and increased cellular density occured during the convalescence period (days 9 to 13 pi). Intact and degraded (HRP) fluxes from mucosa to serosa were measured in vitro, on pieces of jejunum mounted in Ussing chambers. A large increase in HRP permeability was noted during the initial diarrheal period (days 2 and 3 pi) in conventional mice and during the convalescence period (days 9 to 13 pi) in germ-free mice. In both cases, only intact-HRP transport rose -probably via a transcellular route- without alteration in degraded-HRP transport. These results indicate that rotavirus infection in mice causes an increase in intact HRP intestinal permeability which is dependent on intestinal microflora.
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Heyman, M., Corthier, G., Petit, A. et al. Intestinal permeability to macromolecules during viral enteritis in conventional and germ-free suckling mice. Pediatr Res 22, 234 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00124
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00124