title: [Bacterial endotoxins: relationship between chemical structure and biological effect].
abstract: Gram-negative bacteria carry on their surface endotoxins, which are essential for bacterial growth and survival. If released from the bacterial cell, endotoxins induce in higher organisms a great variety of pathophysiological effects. Chemically, endotoxins constitute lipopolysaccharides (LPS), the lipid component (termed lipid A) of which is responsible for the induction of endotoxin effects. The structural and conformational parameters, endowing lipid A with its potent bioactivity, have been well characterized. The toxic effects of endotoxins are initiated by the specific interaction of lipid A with macrophages/monocytes resulting in the production of peptide or lipid mediators. This interaction is governed by a unique (toxic) conformation of lipid A on the one hand, and by specific cellular receptors on the other. The interaction and subsequent mediator production can be specifically and antagonistically inhibited by lipid A partial structures. A recently developed monoclonal anti-LPS-antibody cross-reacts with endotoxins of various bacterial origin, and it cross-protects against harmful endotoxin effects such as pyrogenicity and lethality.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Experimentelle Biologie und Medizin, Forschungsinstitut Borstel.
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Rietschel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brade
authors.forename: F U
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Schade
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seydel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zähringer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mamat
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ulmer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Loppnow
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Flad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004731:Endotoxins; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008050:Lipid A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D016207:Cytokines; D004731:Endotoxins; D008050:Lipid A; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides
vernacular_title: Bakterielle Endotoxine: Beziehungen zwischen chemischer Konstitution und biologischer Wirkung.