Detoxification of Endotoxin by Perfusion of Liver and Spleen. ∗

Abstract

Summary and conclusions

The mortality of a dose of a bacterial endotoxin in rabbits, which was 85% when injected into a systemic vein, was reduced to 11% when it was injected via a mesenteric vein, i.e., so that it must traverse the liver before entering the systemic circulation. Bacterial endotoxin (Salmonella enteritidis MLD/80 = 1 mg/kg) in plasma was perfused through the dener-vated dog's spleen in vitro. Corresponding dilutions of infusate and effluent were assayed for detoxification in pertussis-treated mice, and by the immuno-diffusion technic. These assays showed substantial detoxification of the endotoxin in the effluent and of the endotoxin retained by the spleen. Because the degree of dilution of the effluent may have been great enough to reduce the endotoxin content per aliquot below the sensitivity of the bioassay technics, partially purified extracts of spleen were also interacted with endotoxin and detoxification by the same assay technics was demonstrated. These data show that the liver and spleen not only rapidly extract, but also rapidly detoxify bacterial endotoxins. Because of varying degrees of vasoconstriction of the circulation to these organs in the normal animal, the full detoxifying potential of these organs when challenged may not be available.