Lipopolysaccharide antagonists.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent and pleiotropic stimulus of immune cells. LPS has important clinical relevance because it has a direct role in the pathogenesis of Gram-negative bacterial infection. The lipid A moiety of LPS is responsible for the toxic effects of LPS. The identification of structural analogs and precursors of lipid A, which are apparently competitive antagonists of the biological actions of LPS, is strong evidence that the actions of LPS are mediated by a specific LPS receptor or family of receptors. Identification and analysis of these LPS receptors with LPS antagonists should help to define the pathways of cellular activation by LPS and lead to the development of novel anti-LPS strategies in the therapy of bacterial diseases.