Dose-dependent Effects of Lipopolysaccharide in a Fetal Lamb Model of Endotoxaemia

Perinatal and neonatal infections are associated with a high mortality particularly in the presence of multiple organ failure. A better understanding in its underlying pathogenesis would optimise the design of treatment for this devastating condition. The end products of nitric oxide, nitrates and nitrites, have been found to be elevated in neonatal sepsis. This study reports that inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, the major source of nitric oxide production in a fetal lamb model of endotoxaemia, is up-regulated in liver and spleen tissues in a dose-dependent manner following systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide.