The fate of lipopolysaccharide in cultured rat Kupffer cells

Cultured rat Kupffer cells were incubated in presence of biologically tritiated Salmonella abortus equi lipopolysaccharide. Uptake of lipopolysaccharide increased rapidly during the first 2 h of incubation and then levelled off. Within the first h of incubation 10(6) Kupffer cells were able to ingest up to 18 micrograms lipopolysaccharide. Kupffer cells metabolised lipopolysaccharide and released lipopolysaccharide-related substances, but neither the cell-associated lipopolysaccharide nor the released lipopolysaccharide products were detoxified, as measured by the mouse lethality test.