Differential effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharides upon neutrophil function

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent inflammatory agent which augments neutrophil sensitivity to subsequent inflammatory stimuli, In this study, the effects of structurally different LPS types upon neutrophil effector functions were examined, Rough LPS types, which have lost the O-polysaccharide moiety, were found to act more rapidly than smooth LPS ta pes in stimulating neutrophil Pa integrin activity and fMLP-induced respiratory burst. These findings suggest an involvement of the O-polysaccharide region of LPS in regulating neutrophil responsiveness to different LPS chemotypes with important implications for the mechanisms underlying regulation of the inflammatory response in conditions associated with elevation of LPS in plasma, e.g. septic shock or acute respiratory distress syndrome. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.