Expression of hepatic TNF-α, IL-6, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2, and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) mRNA. Hepatic levels of TNF-α (A) mRNA were significantly elevated in the C57BL/6 mice 6 h following the in vivo delivery of 5 μg/gbw LPS, whereas levels of MIP-2 (C) were significantly elevated in the C57BL/6 mice 6 h following delivery of 100 ng/gbw and 1 μg/gbw LPS, *P < 0.05. Hepatic levels of IL-6 (B) and IL-1ra (D) were significantly elevated in the C57BL/6 mice 6 h following the in vivo delivery of 1 and 5 μg/gbw LPS, *P < 0.05.