DIFFERENTIAL RELEASE OF SMOOTH-TYPE LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE FROM PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA TREATED WITH CARBAPENEM ANTIBIOTICS AND ITS RELATION TO PRODUCTION OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA AND NITRIC-OXIDE

Endotoxin release from Pseudomonas aeruginosa treated with cell wall-a ctive carbapenem antibiotics and its effect on the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha and nitric oxide were examined. Treatment of ba cteria with imipenem induced much lower levels of endotoxin release th an treatment with meropenem. The endotoxin released was demonstrated t o be of the smooth type and O-specific polysaccharide-rich. The exposu re of the filtrates of P. aeruginosa treated with imipenem to physiolo gically relevant cells caused low-level production of tumor necrosis f actor alpha and nitric oxide, while similar treatment with meropenem i nduced high levels of production.