Induction of pulmonary indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase by intraperitoneal injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase [indoleamine: oxygen 2,3-oxidoreductase (decyclizing)] activity in the supernatant fraction (30,000 X g, 30 min) of the mice lung homogenate increased approximately 30- to 50-fold after an intraperitoneal administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. In all other tissues tested, no significant increase in enzyme activity was observed. The effect appeared to be specific for the lipopolysaccharide fraction because glycogen and zymosan were almost ineffective under the same experimental conditions. In the lung, the enzyme activity increased almost linearly during the first 24 hr after a single injection of the lipopolysaccharide fraction (20 microgram per mouse). The enzyme activity started to decrease after 48 hr and reached a normal value after about 6 days. The increase in enzyme activity was completely abolished by cycloheximide or actinomycin D. Other enzymes in the lung such as beta-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and monoamine oxidase did not change significantly with this treatment.