title: Effects of lipoic acid on spleen oxidative stress after LPS administration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide - LPS) is a strong modulator of the immune system that plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of endotoxic shock. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of lipoic acid (LA) on oxidative stress markers in spleen homogenates obtained from LPS-induced endotoxic shock rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The animals were treated with saline or lipoic acid (LA) (60 or 100 mg/kg b.w. iv) 30 min before or 30 min after LPS administration (30 mg/kg b.w. iv). Five hours after LPS, LA or saline administration, the animals were euthanized and their spleens were isolated for measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The LPS-treated animals developed oxidative stress, indicated by a significant increase in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations (p<0.001) as well as an insignificant decrease in the level of sulfhydryl groups (-SH groups) and the glutathione redox ratio [reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio] (p<0.02) as compared with control group. Treatment with LA (60 or 100 mg/kg) before or after LPS administration resulted in an increase in -SH group content (p<0.01) and a decrease in TBARS and H2O2 concentration in the spleen as compared with LPS group (p<0.001). LA (60 or 100 mg/kg) before LPS administration decreased the level of GSSG (p<0.05) and increased the level of GSH in spleen homogenates (p<0.05), resulting in an increase in the GSH/GSSG ratio compared with the LPS group (p<0.01). It also improved the LPS-induced increase in the spleen weight (SW) to body weight (BW) ratio (p<0.001 vs. control).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results have shown that LA is endowed with antioxidant properties that are protective in the spleen against the deleterious actions of Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin.
authors.affiliation: Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Department of Cardiovascular Physiology, Medical University of Łódź, Mazowiecka 6/8, PL 92-215 Łódź, Poland. anna.goraca@umed.lodz.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gorąca
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huk-Kolega
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kleniewska
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piechota-Polańczyk
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Skibska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide