Document Type

Article

Embargo Period

7-1-1997

Publication Date

7-1-1997

Abstract

Septic shock is a major cause of mortality in neonates. The hypothesis was tested that neonatal, age is associated with altered sensitivity to shock-inducing bacterial products or proinflammatory, cytokines (or both). Mice of different ages were inoculated with various doses of lipopolysaccharide, (LPS), superantigenic staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), or recombinant tumor necrosis factor-α, (rTNF-α), alone or in combination with the sensitizing agent D-galactosamine. Neonatal mice were, markedly more susceptible to LPS-induced lethality but more resistant to SEB than were adults (P, < .05). Mice of different ages did not differ, however, in their sensitivity to lethal activities of rTNFα. Neonatal susceptibility to LPS and SEB correlated directly with plasma TNF-α but not IFN-γ, levels, which was confirmed by TNF-α and IFN-γ blockade experiments. These data document, marked age-related differences in the pathophysiology of septic shock and suggest that IFN-γ is, not an obligatory mediator of either LPS- or SEB-induced lethality in neonates.

Journal

Journal of Infectious Diseases

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