is the major structural component of the outer wall of all Gram-negative bacteria and a potent activator of the immune system.
LPS can lead to pathological reactions such as the induction of septic shock. LPS is recognized by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) which interacts with three different extracellular proteins: LPS binding protein (LBP), CD14 and, myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD-2), to induce a signaling cascade leading to the activation of NF-κB and the production of proinflammatory cytokines.