Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide-induced Intestinal Microvascular Lesions Leading to Acute Diarrhea

Subcutaneous challenge of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gram negative bacteria, produced an intestinal microvascular lesion causing fluid exudation into the lumen of the intestine and diarrhea. The microvascular lesion was characterized by endothelial cell damage and microthrombi in the venules and capillaries of the intestinal lamina propria. Marker organisms, given orally to challenged mice, grew in the exuded fluid and could invade the mucosa. Intravenous transfer of postchallenge plasma produced the lesion in normal mice and absorption of such plasma by Sepharose coupled to LPS-antibody abolished this effect. Instillation of large quantities of LPS into the lumen of the intestine produced scattered microvascular lesions, although none of these animals developed diarrhea. Since a similar microvascular lesion has been described in the rectal mucosal lamina propria of adults with acute diarrhea, it is suggested that LPS-induced vascular damage may be a novel mechanism in the pathogenesis of acute diarrhea.