• Patrick D Solan, Katherine E Dunsmore, Alvin G Denenberg, Kelli Odoms, Basilia Zingarelli, and Hector R Wong.
• Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
• Crit. Care Med.. 2012 Feb 1;40(2):379-87.

ObjectivesMatrix metalloproteinase-8 messenger RNA expression was previously found to be increased in whole blood of children with septic shock. The impact of this finding on the severity and inflammatory response to sepsis is unknown. Here, we investigate the relationship between matrix metalloproteinase-8 and disease severity in children with septic shock. We further corroborate the role of matrix metalloproteinase-8 in sepsis in a murine model.DesignRetrospective observational clinical study and randomized controlled laboratory experiments.SettingPediatric intensive care units and an animal research facility at an academic children's hospital.Patients And SubjectsPatients age ≤10 yrs admitted to the intensive care unit with a diagnosis of septic shock. For laboratory studies, we utilized male mice deficient for matrix metalloproteinase-8 and male wild-type C57BL/6J mice.InterventionsBlood from children with septic shock was analyzed for matrix metalloproteinase-8 messenger RNA expression and matrix metalloproteinase-8 activity, and correlated with disease severity based on mortality and degree of organ failure. A murine model of sepsis was used to explore the effect of genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-8 on the inflammatory response to sepsis. Finally, activation of nuclear factor-κB was assessed both in vitro and in vivo.Measurements And Main ResultsIncreased matrix metalloproteinase-8 mRNA expression and activity in septic shock correlates with decreased survival and increased organ failure in pediatric patients. Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-8 leads to improved survival and a blunted inflammatory profile in a murine model of sepsis. We also identify matrix metalloproteinase-8 as a direct in vitro activator of the proinflammatory transcription factor, nuclear factor-κB.ConclusionsMatrix metalloproteinase-8 is a novel modulator of inflammation during sepsis and a potential therapeutic target.

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