Fig. 4.

Effect of BDL on plasma level of endotoxin. The plasma level of endotoxin was measured as described in the text. Open circles: control mice (BDL alone); Open squares, animals pretreated with antibiotics from 1 week before BDL; Closed squares, animals splenectomized just before BDL; Closed circles, iNOS^−/− mice which received BDL. Open triangles, iNOS^−/− mice treated with antibiotics 1 week before BDL Cross: sham-operated mice. Statistical analysis carried out as in Fig. 1. *p<0.05