Endotoxin and lipid peroxidation in vivo in selenium- and vitamin E-deficient and -adequate rats.
 The effect of Salmonella typhimurium endotoxin injected intraperitoneally (0.5 mg/kg body weight) on lipid peroxidation in vivo was assessed.
 Peroxidation was monitored by measuring ethane production, an autoxidation product of (n-3) unsaturated fatty acids.
 Weanling rats were fed a selenium- and vitamin E-deficient basal diet or one supplemented with 0.2 mg Se/kg and/or 200 mg vitamin E/kg.
 After 11 to 13 wk of feeding, ethane production was tripled in LPS-treated Se- and vitamin E-deficient rats compared to saline-treated deficient rats.
 In both doubly deficient and adequate rats, LPS increased ethane production, but it did so to a greater extent in Se- and vitamin E-deficient rats.
 Dietary Se or vitamin E supplementation alone significantly reduced ethane production from LPS-treated rats.
 Vitamin E was more protective than Se against LPS-induced lipid peroxidation.
 Escherichia coli and Salmonella minnesota LPS also increased ethane production in Se- and vitamin E-deficient rats.
 These results show that low doses of LPS stimulate lipid peroxidation in vivo in Se- and vitamin E-deficient rats.
