Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 1 April 1977:
Vol. 196. no. 4285, pp. 83 - 85
DOI: 10.1126/science.557238
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Science, Vol 196, Issue 4285, 83-85
Copyright © 1977 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Inflammatory effects of endotoxin-like contaminants in commonly used protein preparations

LZ Bito

Protein preparations from commercial suppliers are contaminated with bacterial endotoxins. The continued use of these preparations indicates that many researchers are unaware of this, and they may attribute all observed effects to the proteins themselves. Intravitreous injection of bovine serum albumin has an initial inflammatory effect on the rabbit eye which occurs before an immune reaction to the antigen itself can develop. This direct inflammatory effect can be fully accounted for by endotoxin-like contaminants which are present in protein preparations obtained from commercial suppliers. A pharmaceutical (U.S. Pharmacopeia) serum albumin preparation contains no detectable endotoxin, and has no initial inflammatory effect on the eye. Since endotoxins, even in minute amounts, have a variety of effects, the use of such contaminated protein preparations in biological research can lead to erroneous conclusions and should, therefore, be avoided.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Do Native and Polymeric α1-Antitrypsin Activate Human Neutrophils In Vitro?.
C. Persson, D. Subramaniyam, T. Stevens, and S. Janciauskiene (2006)
Chest 129, 1683-1692
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A New Approach to the Medical Management of Glaucoma, from the Bench to the Clinic, and Beyond: The Proctor Lecture.
L. Z. Bito (2001)
Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 42, 1126-1133
   Full Text »
Ocular Inflammatory Effects of Intravitreal Interleukin 1.
J. T. Rosenbaum, J. R. Samples, S. H. Hefeneider, and E. L. Howes Jr (1987)
Arch Ophthalmol 105, 1117-1120
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)