Background: In the current study, we determined whether bovine dialyzable leukocyte extract (bDLE) modulates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide and cytokine overproduction.
Methods: Human whole blood cells were treated with LPS (50 ng) + bDLE (1 U).
Results: The bDLE treatment decreased nitric oxide as well as TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 (P <0.01) cytokine production. In addition, it decreased TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 mRNA expression and suppressed IL-10 and IL-12p40 mRNA expression, but did not modulate IL-8 mRNA expression in LPS-stimulated human blood cells.
Discussion: Our results suggest that bDLE may effectively modulate the fatal symptoms of hypotensive shock associated with endotoxin (LPS)-induced nitric oxide and cytokine production, and this may offer therapeutic potential for the treatment of endotoxic shock.