Comparative effects of cholera toxin, Salmonella typhimurium culture lysate, and viable Salmonella typhimurium in isolated colon segments in ponies

Isolated segments of left dorsal colon and a side-to-side colocolostomy (between the left ventral colon and left dorsal colon) were surgically created in 6 adult ponies. Four segments, each separated by an empty segment, were inoculated (20 ml) with 1 of the following 4 solutions: phosphate buffered saline solution (PBSS)/1% polyethylene glycol (PEG); purified cholera toxin in PBSS/1% PEG (5 micrograms cholera toxin/ml of PBSS/1% PEG); lyophilized Salmonella typhimurium UCD 1755 culture lysate, reconstituted in PBSS/1% PEG; and viable S typhimurium UCD 1755 (10(8) organisms/ml of PBSS/1% PEG). Twenty hours following inoculation of the treatment solutions into the isolated colon segments, the ponies were reanesthetized. Fluid accumulation in the isolated segments was measured, and tissue samples from isolated segments were taken for examination by light microscopy and electron microscopy, and for measurement of mucosal cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels. There was fluid accumulation in segments inoculated with cholera toxin in 4 ponies (29.5 +/- 12.7 ml), and in segments inoculated with S typhimurium UCD 1755 culture lysate in 3 ponies. (14.0 +/- 8.7 ml). There was no fluid accumulation in segments inoculated with either the control solution (PBSS/1% PEG) or viable S typhimurium UCD 1755. There was significantly (P less than 0.05) less cyclic adenosine monophosphate in segments inoculated with cholera toxin, Salmonella lysate, and viable Salmonella, compared with control segments. Histologically, there were minimal changes in control segments, consisting of mild to moderate submucosal edema and capillary congestion. Changes in the other segments were more pronounced and included neutrophilic infiltration and exocytosis, with the changes increasing in severity in the segments inoculated with cholera toxin, S typhimurium culture lysate UCD 1755, and viable S typhimurium UCD 1755, respectively. Ultrastructurally, mucosa from control segments was normal. Mucosa from segments inoculated with cholera toxin had swollen endoplasmic reticula and basolateral separation of surface epithelial cells. Mucosa from segments inoculated with S typhimurium UCD 1755 culture lysate and viable S typhimurium UCD 1755 had swollen smooth and rough endoplasmic reticula, separation of epithelial cells, degeneration of microvilli, and goblet cell degeneration.