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Biotech / Medical : XOMA. Bull or Bear? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Robert S. who wrote (6669)	7/13/1998 4:14:00 PM
From: aknahow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17367

I thought your original post asked if BPI effectively removed all the endotoxin. It appears to me that the question you are really asking is does BPI kill all the bacteria.

To: Robert S. who wrote (6669)	7/13/1998 10:01:00 PM
From: Tharos	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17367

>>but aren't endotoxins poisonous byproducts of dead gram-negative bacteria? << This is a bit backwards. It would be more correct to say the by product of gram negative bacteria is an endotoxin (poisonous by definition). >>Since bacteria can and do evolve, sometimes very rapidly, to changes in their environment, does this not suggest that the gram-negative bacteria that survives BPI can evolve and eventually flourish as it passes on these traits to it's (so to speak) offspring ?<< I would have to agree with the possibility of bacteria evolving, but as long as they are coated with a lippid protein sheath, BPI will bind and even if it does not kill the bacteria, it will neutralize the endotoxins, thus relieving the body (and treating physicians) of the need to worry about septic shock. This is important in a disease like meningitis, where the body, with antibiotics, can eventually overcome the disease, but the septic shock kills or cripples the victim. all IMO.

To: Robert S. who wrote (6669)	7/15/1998 7:06:00 AM
From: Robert K.	Respond to of 17367

On the endotoxin debate, I am not a expert, but I would venture a guess that not all endotoxin must be cleared. probably at any given moment you have endotoxin present(since you are 15% bacteria now) So I would guess, that its the threshold of endotoxin that initiates the cascade(which bpi attenuates) is the factor you seek. The efficacy might be antibacterial, might be antiendotoxin, might be via cascade,might be other or any combination. My question to you is What do your colleagues think and why???? COMMENT OFRobertS><< I never thought BPI bound up all endotoxin. This is dead material and it is not reproducing. The body may/will remove some with its own host defenses and while the remaining endotoxin will do damage I thought that it would be reduced relative to the amount that would have occurred in none was bound up and eliminated by BPI.>> While my colleagues and I are interested in the BPI molecule, statements such as yours raise doubts about BPI. Please correct me if I am wrong, but aren't endotoxins poisonous byproducts of dead gram-negative bacteria