Inverse relationship between the susceptibility of lipopolysaccharide (lipid A)-pretreated mice to the hypothermic and lethal effect of lipopolysaccharide.

Mice pretreated (day 0) by a single injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) responded with hypothermic tolerance to (LPS) challenge on day 1 and with hypothermic hyperreactivity to LPS challenge on day 4. Reciprocally, mice pretreated similarly but with a higher challenge dose were hyperreactive with respect to LPS lethality on day 1, but highly tolerant to lethality when challenged on day 4. Hyperreactivity to LPS lethality (day 1) was evident from an accelerated onset of death as well as from a reduced 50% lethal dose in pretreated mice, the level of hyperreactivity being more pronounced with higher LPS pretreatment doses. Lethal hyperreactivity, however, was only seen after challenge with a 50% lethal dose of soluble LPS. In contrast, protection to lethality occurred after challenge with a 50% lethal dose of insoluble LPS (day 1). Tolerance to LPS lethality in mice was observed on day 4 after pretreatment with one (day 0) or four daily injections of LPS. Since reciprocal hyperreactivity (day 1) and cross-tolerance to lethality (day 4) could be achieved by treatment with Salmonella smooth- or rough-form LPS as well as with free lipid A, it was concluded that lipid A represents the active principle of LPS in inducing both hyperreactivity and tolerance to the lethal effect of LPS.