Question

A client has been diagnosed with gram-negative pneumonia. Knowing this bacteria has a lipopolysaccharide endotoxin on the outer cell membrane, the health care provider should be assessing the client for which pathophysiologic end result?

Answer 1

Answer:

The options

A)Damage to cellular mitochondria

B)Increased ATP levels

C)Activation of the p53 protein

D)Apoptosis

The CORRECT ANSWER IS D

D)Apoptosis

Explanation:

The extrinsic pathway of apoptosis includes extracellular signaling proteins which adhere to cell surface molecules known aa death receptors which in turn activates apoptosis.

The aftermath activates endonucleases prompting division of DNA and ultimately cell death.

Apart from the TNF and Fas ligand, primary signaling molecules also promotes the extrinsic pathway, examples of such are the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL); the cytokineinterleukin-1 (IL-1); and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the endotoxin located in the outer cell membrane of gram-negative bacteria while the activation of the p53 protein, and decreased ATP levels in the intrinsic pathway results in DNA damage.