Abstract

Four anaesthetised monkeys were given oral kanamycin (15 mg 1 kg 12 hourly) over five consecutive days before being heat stressed. Four other anaesthetised monkeys served as controls. The plasma lipopolysaccharide concentration in control primates increased initially from 0.044 (SEM 0.004) ng/ml to 0.062 (0.006) ng/ml as the rectal temperature increased from 37.5 to 39.5 degrees C. A second increase in lipopolysaccharides started at 42 degrees C and reached 0.308 (0.038) ng/ml (p less than 0.01) at 44.5 degrees C. Before heat stress the plasma lipopolysaccharide concentration in the primates who had been pretreated with kanamycin was 0.007 (0.006) ng/ml, and despite heating these animals to 44.5 degrees C no increase in plasma lipopolysaccharide concentrations were seen in this group. The cardiovascular variable during heat stress were more unstable in the control group and began to deteriorate at a lower temperature than in the group receiving antibiotic. These data suggest that the increased plasma lipopolysaccharide concentration during heat stress originates mainly from the gut.

View details for Web of Science ID A1987K843700020

View details for PubMedID 3693572