Monomeric lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activity affected by dimerization of receptors is the key for the similarity between the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test and the rabbit pyrogen test

Masakazu Tsuchiya 1, *, Yayoi Miyagawa 2, Kohshi Kikuchi 3 and Shuji Adachi 2

1 Microbial Solutions, Charles River, 1023 Wappoo Road, Suite 43B, Charleston, SC 29407, USA.
2 Faculty of Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyoto University of Advanced Science, 1-1 Nanjo-Ohtani, Sogabe-cho, Kameoka, Kyoto 621-8555, Japan.
3 Faculty of Liberal Arts, National Institute of Technology Kumamoto College, 2659-2 Suya, Koshi, Kumamoto 861-1102, Japan.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 14(01), 496–503
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.14.1.0372
 
Publication history: 
Received on 12 March 2022; revised on 23 April 2022; accepted on 25 April 2022
 
Abstract: 
Endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers inflammatory cytokine production of mammal cells through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation. This reaction causes pyrogenicity in rabbits. The rabbit pyrogen test has been used for the pyrogen detection in parenteral drugs and medical devices. Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test, adopted as an alternative test for the rabbit pyrogen test in pharmacopoeias, has been safely used for more than 40 years. Even though the mechanisms of these biological assays are different, there should be similarity between the LAL test and the rabbit pyrogen test. Biological activity relates to the aggregation states of LPS, and there is still controversy whether the biologically active form of LPS is monomers or aggregates. Previous studies showed inconsistent results in biological activities of monomeric LPS. This suggests the difficulty to prepare monomeric LPS. Therefore, a simulation can be helpful to understand the activity of different status of LPS. In this study, the TLR4 activation was simulated by using simplified models, and compared the activity of LPS in different forms. The activation of TLR4 and the LAL activation require dimerization of receptors, which reduces the activity of monomeric LPS. The inert monomeric LPS caused by the dimerization of the receptors is the key to the similarity between the LAL test and the rabbit pyrogen test.
 
Keywords: 
Endotoxin; Lipopolysaccharide; Toll-like receptor 4; Innate immunity; Limulus amebocyte lysate: Bacterial Endotoxins Test
 
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