HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF ORGANS, IN PARTICULAR THE LIVER, IN A STUDY OF ENDOTOXIN TOLERANCE IN AN ANIMAL-MODEL

We studied the histomorphological changes of organs in an animal model of endotoxin tolerance (ETT). ETT was induced by pretreating pigs wit h increasing doses of endotoxin (ET) before challenging them with a co ntinuous lethal ET infusion. In the ETT group the survival time was pr olonged significantly versus controls, so that in the ETT group on an average double the ET challenge dose was administered. In this histomo rphological study the lung, kidney, and intestine of almost all animal s (ETT group n = 12, controls n = 11) showed about the same unspecific histological shock features. In the liver, however, we diagnosed part ly disseminating, partly confluent, but obviously ET-induced, neutroph il liver cell necrosis in 10/12 ETT pigs and in 10/11 controls. We con clude that ETT in our model was not a protective factor against seriou s liver cell injury after ET administration. Our results may indicate that the ETT phenomenon can be overcome by raising the ET challenge do sage.