Project description:We systematically assessed the transcriptomic changes of circulating leukocytes from whole blood of mice that had undergone polymicrobial sepsis. We systematically assessed the transcriptomic changes of liver tissue of mice that had undergone polymicrobial sepsis. Data indicate strong dissimilarities in early gene expression during murine sepsis affecting several pathways such as Toll-like receptor signalling, MAPK signalling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine-signalling, and apoptosis during murine sepsis.
Project description:We systematically assessed the transcriptomic changes of heart biopsies of mice that had undergone polymicrobial sepsis. Data indicate strong cardiac in vivo responses during murine sepsis affecting a large amount of pathways and categories including cytokines, mitochondria, immune system and cardiomyocytes.
Project description:To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying sepsis-induced lung injury, we established a murine model of polymicrobial sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in C57BL/6J mice. Lung tissues were harvested 24 h post-surgery, and bulk RNA-sequencing was performed to profile the global transcriptomic changes.
Project description:NF-kB is a transcriptional factor that consists in homo and heterodimers of the large family of Rel subunits. Among the most important functions for NF-kB, initiation of immunological/inflammatory responses and regulation of cell proliferation/apoptosis which are the major features of severe infections. Although the role of NF-kB is crucial in host defense against pathogens, mice deficient for individual subunits of NF-kB have not been explored in murine models of polymicrobial infection. In this report, we have investigated in vivo the consequences of cRel subunit deficiency in the survival to polymicrobial infection. We have also approached the underlying mechanisms of the host defense by analyzing cytokine production, bacterial clearance and the distribution of innate and adaptive immune cells. Absence of cRel enhances mice mortality to polymicrobial sepsis. The decreased survival of cRel-/- animals upon infection is not related to altered local mechanisms of innate defense such as the peritoneal recruitment of the Gr.1+CD11b+ phagocytic cells and the bacterial clearance. However, cRel deficiency allows to altered systemic cytokine response associated to sustained loss of the lymphoïd subset CD8a+ of spleen dendritic cells, key antigen-presenting cells for the initiation of the adaptive immunity. Genome-wide analysis of the systemic host response to polymicrobial sepsis reveals inflammatory/immune and apoptotic gene signatures associated to cRel subunit. In this study we identified the NF-kB member cRel, as a key factor which plays a critical role in survival to polymicrobial sepsis and also as a regulatory transcription subunit controlling the inflammatory and the adaptive immune responses in severe infection.