title: Molecular mechanisms of endotoxin activity.
abstract: Endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS), a constituent of the outer membrane of the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria, exerts a wide variety of biological effects in humans. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying these activities and discusses structure-function relationships of the endotoxin molecule, its interaction with humoral and cellular receptors involved in cell activation, and transmembrane and intracellular signal transduction pathways.
authors.affiliation: Forschungsinstitut Borstel, Institut für Experimentelle Biologie und Medizin, Parkallee 22, D-23845 Borstel, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schletter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heine
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ulmer
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Rietschel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008050:Lipid A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D008050:Lipid A; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008565:Membrane Proteins