DISTRIBUTION OF RADIOLABELED ENDOTOXIN WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE EYE - CONCISE COMMUNICATION

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 24  (1) , 29-33
Abstract
A single systemic injection of endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), reproducibly induces a cellular infiltrate in the uveal tract of the rat eye within 24 h. Other organs are not comparably sensitive to systemic endotoxin. One hypothesis to explain this unique sensitivity is that endotoxin is preferentially bound by ocular tissue. This hypothesis was tested by studying the distribution in the rate of i.v. injected endotoxin that was radiolabeled with 99mTC or 32P. With either radionuclide the concentration of endotoxin/g of tissue at a variety of times after injection ranging from 5 min to 3 h and 45 min, was markedly less in the eye than in liver, kidney or spleen. A study with radiolabeled albumin indicated that these differences could not be ascribed solely to the organ''s blood volume. They demonstrate, therefore, that the eye does not preferentially bind endotoxin, and they are compatible with the hypothesis that endotoxin''s ocular effects are indirectly mediated.