VISAKHAPATNAM: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, have shown the role of specific immune cell markers on the outcomes of severe infection and sepsis. The findings of this study, funded by the department of biotechnology, will help in detecting the stages of sepsis and appropriate treatment.
Neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages are white blood cells that act as scavengers of dead cells and foreign bodies such as bacteria and other pathogens. They move from the blood to the site of infection to mop up the disease-causing foreign matter.
However, in uncontrolled and severe infections, commonly called as ‘sepsis’, there is abnormal activation and localisation of these immune cells. As a result, these cells form ensembles, move around the body, and get deposited in important organs such as the lung, kidney, and liver. This could lead to multi-organ failure or even death.
Prof Pranita P Sarangi of the department of biosciences and bioengineering, IIT Roorkee, who led the research, said that it is important to understand the mechanism of the migration of such cells to detect the stages of inflammation and sepsis. “When these immune cells travel from the blood vessels through tissue spaces to reach the infected or inflamed site, they bind to proteins such as collagen or fibronectin,” said Prof Sarangi.
In this study, Prof Sarangi’s group used two mouse models of sepsis to show the role of integrins in sepsis. When there is an infection, monocytes move from blood circulation and bone marrow towards the infected/inflamed tissue. Once inside the tissues, these monocytes further mature into macrophages. And by sensing the signals from the septic environment, these cells gradually switch their functions from inflammatory to immunosuppressive subtype that correlate with their integrin expression profile.
Director of IIT Roorkee Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi said that the work advances the current understanding of sepsis biology and may be helpful in the development of therapeutics against this life-threatening condition.
The results from this research work has been published in The Journal of Immunology, the official journal of the American Association of Immunologists and presented at the international conferences organised by the Indian Immunology Society.
