Citation

LPS has been described in full detail as an inflammatory agent and can therefore be linked to the progression of inflammation in the liver. LPS gains its toxicity through the lipid A part. It was discovered that the phosphate group from LPS can be removed, leading to a detoxification of the endotoxin. The lipid A part of LPS without one of the two phosphate groups is called monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA). Different studies suggest different signaling pathways depending on the way that MPLA is delivered to the cell and the cell type. This research aims to examine if there is a difference between the signaling pathways of LPS and MPLA in inflammatory M1 macrophages and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages which play a key role in the inflammatory process of liver diseases. 264.7 RAW cells were polarized to either M1 or M2 and stimulated with LPS or MPLA at different concentrations to investigate the signaling pathways. This was done by means of NO-assays, RT-qPCRs and western blotting. It was discovered that there indeed is a difference in the signaling pathways of LPS and MPLA.