Figure 1. Txnip^−/− mice are hypersusceptible to endotoxic shock as compared to WT mice.

(A) Left panel, LPS (10 mg/kg body weight) was injected i.p. into WT mice (n = 17) and Txnip^−/− mice (n = 17). Right panel, E. coli (10⁸ CFU of live E. coli (DH5α)) was injected i.p. into WT mice (n = 9) and Txnip^−/− mice (n = 9). (B and C) After LPS injection, the blood glucose and body temperature were measured in WT and Txnip^−/− mice at the indicated times. Values represent the mean ± SD from 4 mice at each time point. Significant differences between WT and Txnip^−/− mice at the indicated time points are denoted with *P<0.05 and **P<0.01. Data are representative of 3 independent experiments. (D) Enhanced cell infiltration in the lungs of LPS-challenged TXNIP^−/− mice (right). BAL fluid was collected 18 h after LPS administration from WT or Txnip^−/− mice, and total cells counts in the BAL fluid were determined by optical microscopy after cytocentrifugation and H&E staining. Original magnification (400×). The arrows indicate immune cells in the blood vessel. (E) Size of the spleens from WT and Txnip^−/− mice at 2, 4, 8, and 18 h after injection of LPS. Quantitation of the spleen size is shown. (F) Spleen histology with H&E staining, original magnification (100×). TUNEL assays were performed on sections of spleens from mice at 18 h post-LPS injection. The arrows denote apoptotic cells (WP, white pulp; RP, red pulp). Quantitation of the TUNEL staining is shown. We counted apoptotic cells within 6 randomly selected fields. The data shown in (A) are presented as Kaplan-Meyer curves from 3 independent experiments. The data shown in D-F are representative of 3 independent experiments with 3 mice at each time point (**P<0.01).