Impairment of Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity following enterotoxigenic Campylobacter jejuni infection: changes in Na+, Cl- and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose transport in vitro, in rat ileum.

Unidirectional fluxes of Na+, Cl- and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (3-MG) were measured in vitro across Campylobacter jejuni live culture-infected and control rat ileal short-circuited tissues by the Ussing Chamber technique. Net secretion of Na+ and enhanced secretion of Cl- ions was observed in the infected animals (P < 0.001, n = 6) as compared to the net absorption of Na+ and marginal secretion of Cl- ions in the control animals. There was a significant decrease in the mucosal-to-serosal fluxes of 3-MG in C. jejuni-infected rat ileum. The specific Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity when measured biochemically in the membrane-rich fraction of enterocytes was found to be significantly lower (58%) in the infected group as compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Our results therefore suggest that infection with an enterotoxigenic C. jejuni inhibits the Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in rat enterocytes. The impairment of Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity thus appears to induce a secondary change in Na+,Cl- and 3-MG transport in vitro in rat ileum.