The production of inflammation mediators by mouse peritoneal cells under conditions of combined exposure to staphylococcal enterotoxin and lipopolysaccharide

: The influence of staphylococcal enterotoxin of type A (SEA) and enterobacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), gamma-interferon and active forms of oxygen by mouse peritoneal cells was studied. Both SEA and LPS, when injected to animals, produced stimulating influence on the oxygen metabolism of phagocytizing cells. The highest toxic doses of LPS induced the maximal generation of oxygen radicals. Under the conditions of the development of lethal toxic shock, i.e. after the combined injection of SEA and LPS, the synergic activation of oxygen metabolism was observed, which was also manifested by the pronounced production of TNF alpha and the increased synthesis of gamma-interferon.