Efforts on to Understand the Cause of Deadly Sepsis

Septic shock and a systemic inflammatory response often occur as a result of dysregulation of the immune system following an infection. Sepsis is not uncommon, yet its cause and underlying immune dysfunction remain poorly understood. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), a component of the immune system, now appear to have an important role in suppressing the immune response in advance of sepsis, and understanding this role may lead to new therapeutic strategies for improving patient outcomes, as described in a review article in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

Li-Na Jiang, Yong-Ming Yao, and Zhi-Yong Sheng, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, and Hebei North University, Zhyangjiakou, China, review the growing body of literature supporting a link between alterations in Treg function and the development of sepsis, based on animal studies and preliminary human studies. In the article "The Role of Regulatory T Cells in the Pathogenesis of Sepsis and Its Clinical Implications," the authors suggest that accumulating experimental and clinical evidence indicates that manipulating Tregs may offer a promising strategy for treating patients with septic shock.

"Regulatory T cells are receiving much attention as important determinants of both beneficial and detrimental immune responses," says Co-Editor-in-Chief Thomas A. Hamilton, PhD, Chairman, Department of Immunology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation. "This review brings focus to the function of this important cell population in the context of sepsis, a condition more frequently associated with innate immunity."



Source-Eurekalert