Fate and Effect of Endotoxin Derivatives in Tumor-Bearing Mice 1

Abstract

Summary

1. A toxic endotoxin, its nontoxic chemical derivative called endotoxoid, and endotoxic glycolipids were tested in tumor-hemorrhage and lethality assays in tumor-bearing mice. All three materials were active in the tumor-hemorrhage assay. This indicates that neither toxicity nor the presence of O-antigenic polysaccharides is necessary to induce tumor hemorrhage.

2. No evidence of a direct action of endotoxin on tumors or of altered reticuloendothelial function could be obtained by the fluorescein antibody technique, which was used to detect the presence of endotoxin preparations in the different tissues.

3. Basic amines such as putrescine, spermine, and cadaverine, found in incompletely purified endotoxin preparations, and vasoactive agents such as histamine and serotonin could not duplicate the hemorrhagic activity of the endotoxic materials.

4. The tumor-bearing state increases the susceptibility of mice to the lethal action of all three materials.

5. Various inbred mouse strains, with or without tumor, showed a significantly different degree of endotoxin sensitivity.