Changes in the antioxidant content of mononuclear leukocytes from mice with endotoxin-induced oxidative stress

Oxidative stress, associated with a high production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by immune cells, is involved in the endotoxic shock caused by endotoxin. This oxidative stress is linked to the inability of the immune cells to maintain adequate levels of antioxidants with free radical-scavenging action. Glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AA) are intracellular and extracellular antioxidants (ROS scavengers) that improve the leukocyte functions. Therefore, in the present work we have determined the reduced GSH and AA content in axillary nodes, spleen, thymus and peritoneal mononuclear leukocytes from BALB/c mice subjected to lethal endotoxic shock produced by intraperitoneal injection of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 mg/kg), at several times (0, 2, 4, 12 and 24 h) after LPS injection. Endotoxic shock decreased the levels of AA in the leukocytes from the three organs as well as the levels of GSH in axillary nodes and spleen cells while it increased the GSH levels in thymus and peritoneum. These results are in agreement with the oxidative stress and the altered function previously observed in those leukocytes, and they suggest that antioxidant administration may be useful for the treatment of endotoxic shock and other oxidative stress situations with altered immunological responses.