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Rectal biopsies were maintained in organ culture over a 24-hour culture period, with good preservation of histological architecture. A filtrate containing Clostridium difficile toxin significantly inhibited the rise in epithelial alkaline phosphatase activity normally seen during culture. This effect was abolished by pre-incubation of the filtrate with Clostridium sordellii antitoxin, or heat inactivation. This effect is most probably due to a toxin of C. difficile. The method provides a new quantitative approach to the study of luminal toxins as possible pathogenic agents in idiopathic inflammatory diseases of the colon.

Original publication

DOI

10.1159/000199212

Type

Journal article

Journal

Digestion

Publication Date

1985

Volume

32

Pages

25 - 29

Keywords

Alkaline Phosphatase, Antitoxins, Bacterial Toxins, Biopsy, Clostridium, Humans, Intestinal Mucosa, Organ Culture Techniques, Rectum