Responses of the colonic epithelium to auranofin: evidence for involvement of enteric nerves.

Auranofin, the orally effective gold compound, stimulated the canine colonic epithelium in vitro. It increased short circuit currents across both the innervated mucosal and functionally "nerve-free" epithelial preparation, when added to either the luminal or serosal solutions. Serosal responses were inhibited by tetrodotoxin (TTX). A hydrophilic gold compound, sodium aurothiosulphate produced similar effects but only on serosal addition. Gold compounds can thus alter colonic transport activating enteric nerves and releasing a neurotransmitter. Thus gold induced diarrhea could have a significant neural component.