Treatment of LPS-induced tissue injury: role of liposomal antioxidants.

Tissue injury is a common occurrence in multiple organ failure, a possible clinical complication of Gram-negative bacterial sepsis. Gram-negative bacteria, in part through lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor, and other cytokines, activate neutrophils to increase oxygen consumption and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS have been suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of multiple organ failure. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the susceptibility of tissues to ROS can be reduced by augmenting the antioxidant status of the affected tissues. Rats were challenged intravenously with LPS (Escherichia coli: 0111:B4) at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight, and 0, 2, 4, or 6 h later were treated intravenously with plain liposomes or alpha-tocopherol liposomes (20 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg body weight); treated rats were then killed 24 h after LPS challenge. Animals challenged with LPS were extensively damaged in the liver, as evidenced by an increase in plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and also in the lung, as indicated by a decrease in pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme and alkaline phosphatase activities. The injection of LPS also resulted in increased myeloperoxidase activities in the two organs, suggestive of activation of the inflammatory response. Within the pulmonary and hepatic organs of LPS-challenged animals, the involvement of oxidative stress mechanisms was evident, because a significant decrease in reduced glutathione and an increase in lipid peroxidation were observed. In contrast, the administration of alpha-tocopherol liposomes in the post-LPS-challenge period resulted in a significant alleviation of both lung and liver injuries, evidenced by a general reversal of the altered biochemical indices toward normal among treated animals. The therapeutic effect was found to be greater when liposomal alpha-tocopherol treatment was given earlier during the development of injury. Plain liposomes administered immediately after LPS injection also protected hepatic and pulmonary tissues from injuries. However, unlike alpha-tocopherol liposomes, plain liposomes did not confer any beneficial effect when administered at later timepoints post-LPS injection. These data suggest that alpha-tocopherol, administered in a liposomal form, may serve as a potentially effective pharmacological agent in the treatment of LPS-induced tissue injuries.