Plasma levels of bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) during hemodialysis

Several proteins modify the biological response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Both bactericidal/permeability-increasing factor (BPI), a protein stored in neutrophils, and the acute phase protein LPS-binding protein (LBP) bind to LPS; however, BPI inhibits while LBP enhances binding of LPS to leukocytes and subsequent induction of cytokines. We investigated plasma levels of BPI, LBP, elastase and C5a before, during and after hemodialysis (HD). Six patients were dialysed with Cuprophane® (Cup) and polysulfone (PS) low-flux dialyzers on two consecutive HD sessions