Characterization of the interaction of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) with its putative receptor on the intestinal tract of newborn calves.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) induces severe diarrhea in newborn calves through the elaboration of heat-stable enterotoxin (STa). We investigated the distribution and characteristics of the STa-specific receptors on enterocytes and brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) prepared from anterior jejunum, posterior jejunum, ileum and colon of newborn calves. We found that density of the receptors and their affinity to STa were higher on enterocytes and BBMVs that were derived from the ileum than enterocytes and BBMVs prepared from other segments of the calf intestine. This study suggests that, in newborn calves, the ileum is the major part of the intestinal tract that is affected in the course of secretory diarrhea caused by STa-producing ETEC strains.