Protection of mice from endotoxic death by 2-methylthio-ATP.

The lethal effects of endotoxin, a bacterial product shed into the blood during bacteremia, are thought to be due to macrophage release of mediators such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1. Although much is known about the pathophysiology of endotoxemia, relatively little is known about the cellular signaling mechanisms that are involved. The data in this study suggest that extracellular adenine nucleotides can influence the development of endotoxin shock. An adenine nucleotide analog, 2-methylthio-ATP, inhibited the endotoxin-stimulated release of toxic mediators (i.e., tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1), and it protected mice from endotoxin-induced death. These studies suggest a fundamental and unusual role for adenine nucleotides on endotoxin action, and they provide a potentially new therapeutic approach for the control of the pathophysiology of Gram-negative septicemia.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide-stimulated GTPase activity in RAW 264.7 macrophage membranes.

The molecular mechanisms surrounding the toxicity and high mortality rate that accompany the release of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are unclear, although its potent activity suggests that an amplification system is involved. Because previous studies suggest that a guanine-nucleotide-binding protein (G-protein) may participate in LPS action, we have evaluated the effects of LPS on GTPase activity in membranes isolated from macrophage (RAW 264.7) and fibroblast (B82L) cell lines. LPS induced substantial GTPase activation (200-300% above basal), and kinetic analyses indicated that the maximal LPS-stimulated increase in velocity is observed within 15 min, that it is a low-Km (for GTP) activity, that it can be enhanced by ammonium sulphate, and that it appears to be pertussis toxin-insensitive. Moreover, the LPS-enhanced GTPase activity was not antagonized by phosphatase/ATPase inhibitors such as p-nitrophenyl phosphate, ouabain, bafilomycin or N-ethylmaleimide, and in fact was potentiated by the addition of ATP or ADP. Conversely, the LPS precursor, lipid X, which can decrease the lethal effects of LPS, was found to dose-dependently inhibit the LPS-mediated stimulation of GTPase activity. Half-maximal inhibition was seen at the same lipid X/LPS ratio known to be effective in vivo, i.e. 1:1(w/w). These effects appear to be specific because other phospholipids, detergents and glycosides neither stimulated basal, nor inhibited LPS-induced, GTPase activity. These data suggest the involvement of a GTPase in LPS action, and indicate that lipid X may act to directly antagonize LPS at this level.