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Molecular mechanisms of endotoxin activity

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Abstract

Endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS), a constitutent of the outer membrane of the cell wall of gramnegative 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 intra-cellular signal transduction pathways.

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Abbreviations

GPI :

Glycosyl phosphatidylinositol

HDL :

High-density lipoproteins

IL :

Interleukin

KDO :

2-Keto-3-deoxyoctonic acid

LPS :

Lipopolysaccharide

dLPS :

Deacylated LPS

LBP :

LPS-binding protein

MAPK :

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

PTK :

Protein tyrosine kinase

TNF :

Tumor necrosis factor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forschungsinstitut Borstel, Institut für Experimentelle Biologie und Medizin, Parkallee 22, D-23845, Borstel, Germany

    Jens Schletter, Holger Heine, Artur J. Ulmer & Ernst T. Rietschel

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  1. Jens Schletter
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  2. Holger Heine
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  3. Artur J. Ulmer
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  4. Ernst T. Rietschel
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Schletter, J., Heine, H., Ulmer, A.J. et al. Molecular mechanisms of endotoxin activity. Arch. Microbiol. 164, 383–389 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02529735

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02529735

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