POTENTIATION OF LETHAL ENDOTOXIN-SHOCK BY STREPTOCOCCAL PYROGENIC EXOTOXIN IN RABBITS - POSSIBLE RELEVANCE OF HYPERREACTIVITY OF MACROPHAGES TO ENDOTOXIN

Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE) potentiates lethal shock induce d by endotoxin. We have previously reported that macrophages derived f rom SPE-treated rabbits showed hyperreactivity to endotoxin, and that the effect of SPE on macrophages was mediated by a lymphokine(s). Here we show that culture. supernatants of SPE-stimulated lymphocytes, whe n administered into rabbits three hours before or together with endoto xin, potentiate a variety of endotoxin-induced pathophysiological chan ges and even lethal shock. These results suggest that SPE-induced lymp hokine(s) mediates the potentiating effect of SPE on the lethal endoto xin shock through enhancing endotoxin reactivity of macrophages which play the central role in mediating endotoxin toxicity.