Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonists modulate macrophage activation by gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial stimuli.

Bacterial products, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or heat-killed Escherichia coli (EC), and heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus (SA) are potent activators of macrophages (MØ). When stimulated by these bacterial components, MØ produce inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO) and thromboxane (Tx) B(2). Bacterial mediator production is preceded by the activation of various signal transduction pathways.