lipopolysaccharide-University of Maryland, Baltimore

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a bacterial endotoxin derived from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, utilized by the University of Maryland, Baltimore as an investigational immune challenge agent. It is not a therapeutic product but a research tool used to induce a standardized, transient inflammatory response. LPS acts as a potent agonist of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) complex, triggering the innate immune system and the subsequent release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the clinical trial context (NCT03271814), it is administered intravenously at a low dose (0.6 ng/kg) to evaluate neuroinflammatory responses and identify brain imaging biomarkers in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder compared to healthy controls.

Other names

lipopolysaccharideendotoxinbacterial endotoxin