title: Leukemia inhibitory factor protects against experimental lethal Escherichia coli septic shock in mice.
abstract: Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has recently been associated with septic shock in humans. In this study we sought to determine, in mice, the role of LIF in septic shock. During sublethal endotoxemia, serum LIF levels, as determined by radio-receptor competition assay, peaked at 2 h and were low (3 ng/ml), whereas in lethal Escherichia coli septic shock serum LIF levels rose progressively (> 30 ng/ml) in the premorbid phase coincident with the development of tissue injury. Single i.v. injections of high doses (up to 50 micrograms per mouse) of recombinant murine LIF had no obvious acute detrimental effects, whereas continued i.p. administration (30 micrograms per mouse per day) for 3-4 days induced a fatal catabolic state without evidence of preceding hemodynamic collapse or shock. Simultaneous or subsequent administration of high doses of LIF had no effect on mortality from sublethal and lethal E. coli septic shock, whereas prior administration conferred significant protection against lethality (P << 0.001 by log-rank test), an effect that was dose and interval dependent. This protective effect resembled endotoxin tolerance and was characterized by suppression of E. coli-induced serum tumor necrosis factor concentration (P < 0.05), reduction in the number of viable bacteria (P < 0.05), and prevention of sepsis-induced tissue injury. These observations suggest that systemic LIF production is part of the host response to both endotoxin and sepsis-induced tissue injury.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Unit, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Waring
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Waring
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Billington
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Metcalf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005260:Female; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C507838:Lif protein, mouse; D008055:Lipids; D008222:Lymphokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins