Diminished interferon-gamma production and responsiveness after endotoxin administration to healthy humans

To obtain insight in the capacity of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-tolerant host to produce interferon (IFN)-gamma and to respond to this cytokine, whole blood was obtained from healthy humans before and 4 h after intravenous injection of LPS (4 ng/kg) and stimulated ex vivo. LPS exposure in vivo resulted in a diminished capacity to produce IFN-gamma after restimulation with LPS, together with a reduced ability to release the IFN-gamma-inducing cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 and with reduced responsiveness toward these cytokines. In addition, IFN-gamma responsiveness was strongly diminished after in vivo LPS exposure, as shown by the fact that blood obtained after LPS injection could not be primed by IFN-gamma for LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha release and that peripheral blood monocytes could not be stimulated by IFN-gamma to up-regulate major histocompatibility complex type II expression. Experimentally induced immunoparalysis is associated with strongly reduced IFN-gamma production and responsiveness.