Intestinal myoelectric activity in response to live Vibrio cholerae and cholera enterotoxin.

The myoelectric response of the rabbit ileum was studied in response to live Vibrio cholerae culture, a whole cell lysate of cholera, and the purified enterotoxin. Each cholera preparation produced a series of highly organized migrating action potential complexes (MAPC). An MAPC was defined as action potential discharge with a duration of 2.5 s or longer, followed by similar activity on at least one other consecutive electrode site. The mean and modal onset time of MAPC activity occurred 4 h after the infection with live Vibrio cholerae culture, the freeze-dried whole cell lysate preparation, or the purified enterotoxin. After the onset of activity this pattern persisted for the duration of the recording period (up to 12 h). The MAPC had a mean propagation velocity of 0.85+/-0.07 cm/s (mean+/-SEM), which remained constant with time. Direct visual observation of the loop revealed that the MAPC's resulted in contractions that propelled intraluminal contents in an aborad direction. The mean fluid output from the 12-cm ileal loops was 6.4+/-1.1 ml/h (mean+/-SEM). Control experiments consisted of recordings from: (a) a ligated ileal loop into which nothing was placed; (b) a ligated ileal loop into which either uninfected culture broth or 0.9% NaCl solution was injected; (c) a ligated ileal loop infused with 0.9% NaCl solution at a rate of 11.2 ml/h, and (d) rapid injection of 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0-ml boluses of 0.9% NaCl into the proximal catheter. MAPC activity was not observed in any of the control experiments. These studies indicate that in addition to a secretory component to cholera, there exists a highly organized MAPC that results in contractions that propel intraluminal contents in an aborad direction.