Escherichia coli enterotoxin receptors: localization in opossum kidney, intestine, and testis.

The distribution of receptors for Escherichia coli enterotoxin were examined in opossum kidney, intestine, and testis. E. coli enterotoxin stimulated guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) production in renal cortex, testis, and small intestinal mucosa but had only a small effect in the colon. Atrial natriuretic factor enhanced the cGMP content of renal cortex and small intestine but had no effect on testis or colon. The enterotoxin receptors were observed to be localized in proximal tubules, to epithelial cells of crypts and villi of small intestine, to crypts of colon, and in seminiferous tubules. Both convoluted and straight portions of proximal tubules exhibited specific binding sites for 125I-labeled enterotoxin. Glomeruli and distal tubules did not have receptors. Binding of 125I-enterotoxin to brush-border membranes of kidney cortex or intestinal mucosa and to testis membranes was markedly temperature dependent. The binding affinities of these receptors for E. coli enterotoxin were similar (i.e., IC50 approximately equal to 0.4-0.5 nM). Daily administration of 20 micrograms of enterotoxin intramuscularly to opossums increased urine cGMP excretion with no apparent changes in urine volume, Na+, or K+ excretion. Thus receptors for heat-stable enterotoxins are localized to proximal tubules of kidney and to enterocytes and seminiferous tubules of intestine and testis, respectively. Apical membranes may be the site of enterotoxin receptors in these epithelia.