Human antiserum for prevention of the local Shwartzman reaction and death from bacterial lipopolysaccharides

Abstract

Bacterial lipopolysaccharides from dead bacteria have been blamed for the continuing high mortality from gram negative infections despite antibiotic treatment. Because animal antiserum against these lipopolysaccharides has been shown to protect against several of the effects of endotoxin, the authors undertook the development of antiserum in human subjects. 21 men were immunized with a single injection of Salmonella typhimurium or Escherichia coli 0:111 heat killed cells and immune serum was collected at 2 wk. Preimmune serum was obtained as a control in all animal experiments. 1 ml antiserum given intravenously protected mice against a lethal intravenous dose of homologous endotoxin (P<0.005 for both antisera). E. coli antiserum reduced the incidence of positive local Schwartzman reactions with E. coli endotoxin from 100-38%; S. typhimurium antiserum reduced the incidence from 92-35% (P<0.0005 for both antisera). There was no protection against heterologous endotoxin in either animal model. These experiments demonstrate for the first time that human antiserum confers exceedingly potent passive immunity to the effects of endotoxin.