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J. Exp. Med.,
Volume 187, Number 11, June 1, 1998 1779-1788
By








From the * Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent phospholipid mediator with diverse biological activities in addition to its well-known ability to stimulate platelet aggregation. Pharmacologic studies had suggested a role for PAF in pregnancy, neuronal cell migration, anaphylaxis, and endotoxic shock. Here we show that disruption of the PAF receptor gene in mice caused a marked
reduction in systemic anaphylactic symptoms. Unexpectedly, however, the PAF receptor-deficient mice developed normally, were fertile, and remained sensitive to bacterial endotoxin.
These mutant mice clearly show that PAF plays a dominant role in eliciting anaphylaxis, but
that it is not essential for reproduction, brain development, or endotoxic shock.
Department of Physiology, the § Department of Geriatrics, and the
Department of Disease-related Gene Regulation Research
(Sandoz), Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113, Japan; and the ¶ Pharmaceutical
Basic Research Laboratories (Aobadai), Japan Tobacco Inc., Kanagawa 227, Japan
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