Studies on the lipid components of endotoxin. II. Chemical analyses and biological properties of neutral, polar-I and polar-II subfractions.

Lipid components obtained from Salmonella typhosa O-901 endotoxin by acid hydrolysis were separated into neutral, polar-I and polar-II lipid fractions by silica gel column chromatography. These lipids were further separated by silica gel column and/or thin-layer chromatography. The subfractions were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography and infrared spectrophotometry. Seven subfractions obtained from the neutral lipid fraction contained lauric, myristic, palmitic, 3-OH-myristic acid, artificial products of 3-OH-myristic acid, or a small amount of two unidentified fatty acids. These fatty acids and glucosamine were commonly detected in six subfractions obtained from the polar-I lipid fraction. Fatty acids, glucosamine, and O-phosphorylethanolamine were detected in all of the 13 subfractions obtained from the polar-II lipid fraction. Chick embryo lethal activity, rabbit pyrogenicity and in vitro interferon inducing activity were found in three polar-I lipid subfractions and five polar-II lipid subfractions, but not in neutral lipids. The activities were highest in a polar-II lipid subfraction which contained smaller amounts of O-phosphorylethanolamine and glucosamine than the other subfractions. However, no particular chemical constituent(s) related to the biological activities could be found. Prolonged acid hydrolysis of the polar-II lipids gave rise to neutral and polar-I lipids. Chemical and biological aspects of the lipid constituents of endotoxin are discussed.