Induction and modulation of interleukin 1 production by defined partial structures of lipopolysaccharide

Bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) consist of a hydrophilic heteropolysaccharide component and a covalently linked hydrophobic lipid portion termed lipid A. Lipid A is responsible for most of the toxic and immunoregulatory effects of LPS. In studying the structure-function relationship of lipid A partial structures we now report that certain synthetic analogues, with themselves being biologically "inactive", exert immunomodulating effects on LPS-induced Interleukin 1 production in vitro.