Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R A Kapitany.
Heat-stable enterotoxins from a bovine and porcine strain of Escherichia coli were isolated and showed significant differences in amino acid composition and heat stability.
Pregnant cattle were either vaccinated subcutaneously with (i) a suspension of purified Escherichia coli K99 pili, (ii) a Formalin-killed whole cell bacterin containing enterotoxigenic E. coli strain B44 (O9:K30;K99:H-), or (iii) a bacterin containing six different strains of bovine enterotoxigenic E. coli (multiple-strain bacterin), or were left as nonvaccinated controls. After birth, calves were allowed to nurse their dams and, at 12 to 14 h of age, were challenged orally with 10(11) cells of enterotoxigenic E. coli strain B44. Colostral antibody titers were determined against K99, K30, and O9 antigens of B44. In the nonvaccinated control group, 9 of 10 calves developed diarrhea and died within 24 to 72 h. Similarly, all six calves in the multiple-strain bacterin group developed diarrhea and four died. In contrast to calves in the two groups mentioned above, calves nursing cows vaccinated with either purified K99 or the homologous whole cell bacterin were protected against fatal diarrhea. There was a highly significant correlation (P less than 0.0005) between protection against fatal diarrhea and K99, but not K30 or O9 colostral antibody titers. Vaccination of cows with either purified pili or whole cell preparations containing sufficient K99 antigen may provide a means of preventing enterotoxigenic colibacillosis in calves.
Heat-stable enterotoxins (ST-124 and ST-1261) have been isolated from two different enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli of bovine (124) and porcine (1261) origin. The enterotoxin preparations were isolated by ultrafiltration and ion-exchange chromatography and were both active in the suckling mouse test and pig ligated loop test in the nanogram range. The bovine (ST-124) enterotoxin was not stable to heating in its isolated form, and significant differences in amino acid composition were observed between the two enterotoxins. Although both toxins were active at similar levels in the suckling mouse and pig ligated loop tests, ST-124 lacked the ability to cause the profound secretory responses seen with ST-1261 in the weanling pig ligated loop.
The feasibility of reducing intestinal secretion by the use of agents which decrease intestinal mucosal cAMP concentration has been investigated in the weanling pig and the rabbit. Three different agents for decreasing mucosal cAMP concentration were studied. The cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activator, imidazole, significantly reduced mucosal cAMP concentrations only in the weanling pig. Intraluminal 2'-deoxyadenosine-3'AMP inhibited adenylate cyclase and caused a decrease in mucosal cAMP concentration in both the pig and the rabbit. The introduction of the heat-stable enterotoxin of Escherichia coli into pig jejunal segments also gave lowered mucosal cAMP concentrations. While these three agents effectively reduced cAMP concentrations in intestinal mucosa, they were ineffective in reducing the net fluid secretory effects of cholera toxin. Secretion caused by cholera toxin apparently persists independent of the temporary changes in cAMP concentration which can be induced by pharmacological agents.