Neurotensin stimulates Cl(-) secretion in human colonic mucosa In vitro: role of adenosine.

Background & Aims: Previous studies indicated that the peptide neurotensin (NT) stimulates Cl(-) secretion in animal small intestinal mucosa in vitro. In this study, we investigated whether NT causes Cl(-) secretion in human colonic mucosa and examined the mechanism of this response.

Methods: Human mucosal preparations mounted in Ussing chambers were exposed to NT.

Effects of substance P on human colonic mucosa in vitro.

Previous studies indicated that the peptide substance P (SP) causes Cl--dependent secretion in animal colonic mucosa. We investigated the effects of SP in human colonic mucosa mounted in Ussing chamber. Drugs for pharmacological characterization of SP-induced responses were applied 30 min before SP.

Bacteroides fragilis toxin 2 damages human colonic mucosa in vitro.

Background: Strains of Bacteroides fragilis producing a 20 kDa protein toxin (B fragilis toxin (BFT) or fragilysin) are associated with diarrhoea in animals and humans. Although in vitro results indicate that BFT damages intestinal epithelial cells in culture, the effects of BFT on native human colon are not known.

Aims: To examine the electrophysiological and morphological effects of purified BFT-2 on human colonic mucosa in vitro.

Epidermal growth factor attenuates Clostridium difficile toxin A- and B-induced damage of human colonic mucosa.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) exhibits a cytoprotective effect on gastrointestinal epithelia via a receptor-mediated mechanism. We investigated the effect of EGF on Clostridium difficile toxin A (TxA)- and toxin B (TxB)-induced damage of human colon. Ussing-chambered colonic mucosa was exposed serosally to EGF before and during luminal exposure to TxA and TxB.

Effect of growth factors on epithelial restitution of human colonic mucosa in vitro.

Background: Epithelial restitution enables resurfacing of epithelial discontinuities by enterocyte migration. This study investigated the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on restitution of human colonic mucosa in vitro.

Methods: After base-line incubation human colonic mucosal strips, mounted in Ussing chambers, were luminally exposed to 0.