Inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine is protective in a lethal model of murine endotoxemia and polymicrobial sepsis.

Here, the regulatory role of autophagy is examined in both an LPS-induced lethal endotoxic shock mouse model and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model. Autophagy-inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and autophagy-enhancer rapamycin were administrated to mice challenged with LPS or CLP. Animals challenged with LPS or CLP combined with 3-MA displayed increased survival after endotoxemia, but LPS combined with rapamycin worsened the endotoxic shock of the mice. Among the different organs studied, the lungs and intestines exhibited significant differences among LPS alone, LPS combined with 3-MA and LPS combined with rapamycin. LPS combined with 3-MA attenuated the inflammatory damages of these organs as compared with LPS alone. In contrast, LPS combined with rapamycin increased damage in these organs. Consistently, serum inflammatory mediators TNF-α and IL-6 were decreased by the treatment of LPS combined with 3-MA as compared with LPS alone, while administration of LPS combined with rapamycin increased the serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Similar results were found in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages exposed to LPS. Moreover, the regulatory effect of autophagy to endotoxic shock is dependent on the TLR4 signaling pathway. Our results demonstrate the central role of autophagy in the regulation of endotoxic shock and its potential modulation for endotoxic shock treatment.