Hepatic Detoxification of Endotoxin after Adrenalectomy 1

Abstract

Summary

Bilateral adrenalectomy of 300±20 g male Holtzman rats resulted in extreme sensitization to endotoxin shock produced by iv Salmonella enteritidis Boivin lipopolysaccharide. Within 60 min after adrenalectomy, resistance to endotoxin as reflected in LD₅₀ values decreased from 800 μg/100 g to 0.59 μg/100 g and by 168 hr after adrenalectomy the LD₅₀ had diminished to 0.25 μg/100 g. Within 15 minutes after adrenalectomy endotoxin resistance had diminished to a LD₅₀ of 50 μg/100 g. Liver homogenates from either acute (60 min) or chronic (168 hr) adrenalectomized and sham-operated control rats were assessed for endotoxin inactivating ability using a lead-sensitized rat bioassay. The ability of liver to detoxify endotoxin was not significantly altered by either acute or chronic adrenalectomy. Endotoxin inactivating ability also was measured in livers removed from either control or chronic adrenalectomized rats in the terminal phase of endotoxin shock; no appreciable loss of hepatic endotoxin inactivating ability was manifested in either group as compared to control or chronic adrenalectomized rats which were not exposed to endotoxin shock. The data suggest that the defect in host resistance to endotoxin imposed by adrenalectomy is probably not due to an impairment of the hepatic intracellular system for endotoxin inactivation.