title: Action of endotoxin on lymphoid cells.
abstract: Endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) has been found to act on all three cell types of the immune system, thymus-derived (T-) cells, bone marrow-derived (B-) cells, and macrophages. LPS is mitogenic for B-lymphocytes and activates them to release a chemotactic lymphokine. Macrophage activation appears to be mediated by macrophage-activating factor, another lymphokine released from B-cells. In addition, LPS acts synergistically with phytohemagglutinin to initiate division of purified T-lymphocytes. All these phenomena are mediated by the lipid A moiety of LPS. The role of lymphoid cells in mediating the lethal effects of LPS have also been investigated. The adoptive transfer of spleen cells from LPS-responsive mice (C3H/HeN) to LPS-resistant but histocompatible mice (C3H/HeJ) rendered the LPS-resistant mice significantly more susceptible to LPS-induced lethality. These findings suggest that spleen cells play an essential role in mediating the lethal effects of LPS in vivo.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008222:Lymphokines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial