Table 2.

Average sickness scores of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock after treatment with a single dose of different human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-related oligopeptides.

	Average sickness scores after time interval (h)*
	2 h after LPS induction					24 h after LPS induction
Treatment	0	14	24	48	84	0	14	24	48	84
PBS	0·0	2·8	4·3	–†	–	0·0	3·0	4·5	–	–
MTR	0·0	2·5	3·0	4·2	2·3	0·0	2·8	4·3	3·8‡	3·0‡
MTRV	0·0	2·7	4·0	4·0	3·5	0·0	3·0	4·8	3·3‡	3·2‡
LQG	0·0	3·0	4·7	–	–	0·0	2·7	4·7	–	–
LQGV	0·0	2·5	3·0	2·7‡	1·2	0·0	2·8	4·2	–	–
VLPALP	0·0	2·5	3·2	2·8‡	1·7	0·0	2·5	4·0	–	–
VLPALPQ	0·0	3·2	4·5	–	–	0·0	3·2	4·5	2·7	2·7‡
VVC	0·0	2·8	4·2	4·4	3·7	0·0	3·3	4·7	2·7	2·8‡
AQGV	0·0	2·0	2·3	1·7	1·0	0·0	2·7	4·2	1·8	1·5

^*Mice were treated with the various oligopeptides [5 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally (i.p.)] 2 h or 24 h after administration of LPS i.p. (n = 6).

^†Indicates that none the mice had survived at that time-point.

^‡Indicates that the sickness scores are significantly higher than the AQGV-treated group (P < 0·01). Mice were scored for sickness severity as described previously (7) using the following criteria: score 1: percolated fur, but no detectable behaviour differences compared with untreated control mice; score 2: percolated fur, huddle reflex, responding to stimuli (such as tap on cage) and just as active during handling as untreated control mice; score 3: slower response to tap on cage, and passive or docile behaviour when handled, but still curious when alone in a new setting; score 4: lack of curiosity, little or no response to stimuli, and defect mobility; score 5: laboured breathing and impaired righting reflex; score 6 was defined as death. The results illustrated are from a single experiment and representative of at least three independent sets of experiments (each group: n = 6). PBS: phosphate-buffered saline.