Impaired Endotoxin Detoxification as a Factor in Enhanced Endotoxin Sensitivity of Malaria Infected Mice 1

Abstract

Summary

The influence of P. berghei infection on endotoxin susceptibility and detoxification in white mice was studied. Malaria-infected mice showed a 41-fold increase in endotoxin susceptibility. Liver and spleen homogenates from normal control animals possessed a significant endotoxin detoxification ability. In contrast, liver homogenates prepared from malaria-infected mice possessed no significant endotoxin detoxifying ability. The endotoxin detoxifying ability of splenic homogenates prepared from malaria-infected donors was, however, normal.

These findings indicate that endotoxin hypersensitivity in malaria-infected mice may be due to an impairment in hepatic endotoxin detoxification. The loss of endotoxin detoxification ability by liver adds another dimension to hepatic functional alterations in malaria.