CHANGES OF GLYCID COMPOSITION AND BINDING OF SOME LECTINS IN THE CECUM OF RABBITS WITH EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED ENTEROTOXEMIA

In the goblet cells in the caecum df control rabbits only sialo- and s ulphomucins were produced and the same glycoproteins were in the brush border of the surface epithelium. By enterotoxaemia there was a mixtu re of both acid and neutral glycids or mixed ones in some goblet cells . In lumina of the crypts and on surface of the mucosa, the neutral mu cins were predominantly present. By enterotoxaemia binding of soybean agglutinin (SEA) and Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA I) in the brus h border and in the Golgi apparatus was diminished or abolished. The b inding of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) was reduced to some goblet cells or surface of the crypts. Binding of concanavalin agglutinin (ConA) w as not changed in comparison with control rabbits. These results showe d that enterotoxaemia in rabbits is related, among other things, also to changes in mucosal glycid composition, binding of SEA and RCA I lec tins and these changes precede morphologically apparent alteration.