Fast enterocyte regrowth after infection involves a reverse metabolic flux driven by an amino acid transporter.

Upon exposure to a bacterial pore-forming toxin, enterocytes rapidly purge their apical cytoplasm into the gut lumen, resulting in a thin intestinal epithelium. The enterocytes regain their original shape and thickness within 16 h after the ingestion of the bacteria. Here, we show that the regrowth of enterocytes entails an inversion of metabolic fluxes from the organism back toward the intestine.

Enterocyte Purge and Rapid Recovery Is a Resilience Reaction of the Gut Epithelium to Pore-Forming Toxin Attack.

Besides digesting nutrients, the gut protects the host against invasion by pathogens. Enterocytes may be subjected to damage by both microbial and host defensive responses, causing their death. Here, we report a rapid epithelial response that alleviates infection stress and protects the enterocytes from the action of microbial virulence factors.