lnterleukin-6 is secreted by epithelial cells in response to Gram-negative bacterial challenge

Challenge of mucosal surfaces with Gram-negative bacteria results in a rapid inflammatory response. It is elicited by bacterial endotoxin and bacterial surface adhesins. In the urinary tract, adhesins attaching to Galαl-4Galβ-containing glycolipid receptors promote inflammation, whereas other adhesins specific for mannose-containing receptors do not (1). The inflammatory response, measured as the the activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN’s), requires an intact LPS gene of the host. C3H/HeJ mice (lps d/lps d) neither respond with inflammation to bacterial challenge, nor clear the infection, indicating that the inflammatory response is essential for bacterial elimination from the mucosal surface (2,3).