Clinical and experimental immunology
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Clin. Exp. Immunol. · Nov 2004
Are alterations of lymphocyte subpopulations in polymicrobial sepsis and DHEA treatment mediated by the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha receptor (TNF-RI)? A study in TNF-RI (TNF-RI(-/-)) knock-out rodents.
Sepsis is associated with depression of T cell-dependent immune reactivity with proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, playing an important role. Recent investigations describe an association between these immunological alterations and disturbances of the endocrine system, related most frequently to sex steroid hormones. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), one of the most abundant adrenal sex steroid precursors, seems to have a protective immunological effect towards septic insults. ⋯ DHEA reduces the complications of sepsis in a TNF-RI-independent manner. Our study suggests that NK cells are involved in the protective mechanism of DHEA in WT mice. It would therefore seem that DHEA represents a feasible alternative therapy for the dysregulated immune system in sepsis.