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Reduced Expression of SARM in Mouse Spleen during Polymicrobial Sepsis

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Abstract

Objective Immune dysfunction, including prominent apoptosis of immune cells and decreased functioning of the remaining immune cells, plays a central role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. Sterile α and HEAT/armadillo motif-containing protein (SARM) is implicated in the regulation of immune cell apoptosis. This study aimed to elucidate SARM contributes to sepsis-induced immune cell death and immunosuppression. Methods A mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis was generated by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP). SARM gene and protein expression, caspase 3 cleavage and intracellular ATP production were measured in the mouse spleens. Results CLP-induced polymicrobial sepsis specifically attenuated both the gene and protein expression of SARM in the spleens. Moreover, the attenuation of SARM expression synchronized with splenocyte apoptosis, as evidenced by increased caspase 3 cleavage and ATP depletion. Conclusions These findings suggest that SARM is a potential regulator of sepsis-induced splenocyte apoptosis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported financially by Guangzhou Medical University (2011C43), the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (2012Y20), and Department of Education of Guangdong Province (2015KQNCX137).

Author Contributions

Y.G. designed and did experiments, analyzed data, and wrote the manuscript. L.Z. and DZ.C. helped with the experiments. W.C. and DJ.C.contributed reagents and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomedicine Research Center and Department of Surgery, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510150

    Yu Gong

  2. Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Yu Gong, Lin Zou & Wei Chao

  3. Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

    Dongzhi Cen

  4. Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510150

    Dunjin Chen

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  1. Yu Gong
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  3. Dongzhi Cen
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  4. Wei Chao
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yu Gong or Dunjin Chen.

Ethics declarations

All of the animal care and procedures were performed according to the protocols approved by the Animal Experimental Committee of Guangzhou Medical University or the Subcommittee on Research Animal Care of Massachusetts General Hospital and were in accordance with the Guangdong Animal Center guidelines for the ethical treatment of animals or the “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” published by the National Institutes of Health.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Gong, Y., Zou, L., Cen, D. et al. Reduced Expression of SARM in Mouse Spleen during Polymicrobial Sepsis. Inflammation 39, 1930–1938 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-016-0428-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-016-0428-x

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