Background Mortality in sepsis is most often attributed to the development of multiple organ failure. In sepsis, inflammation-mediated endothelial activation, defined as a proinflammatory and procoagulant state of the endothelial cells, has been associated with severity of disease. Thus, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that AMPK activation limits inflammation and endothelium activation to protect against organ injury in sepsis. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), which is an AMP analogue, has been used to upregulate activity of AMPK. Compound C is a cell-permeable pyrrazolopyrimidine compound that inhibits AMPK activity. Methods Wild-type mice underwent CLP or Sham surgery. Mice were randomized to vehicle, AICAR, or Compound C. Mouse kidney endothelial cells were used for in vitro experiments. Renal and liver function, were determined by serum Cystatin C, BUN, creatinine, and ALT. Serum cytokines were measured by ELISA. Microvascular injury was determined using Evan’s blue dye and electron microscopy. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure protein levels of p-AMPK, LC3, and ICAM. LC3 levels were used as a measure of autophagosome formation. Results AICAR decreased liver, and kidney injury induced by CLP and minimized cytokine elevation, in vivo and in vitro. CLP increased renal and hepatic phosphorylation of AMPK and autophagic signaling as determined by LC3. Inhibition of AMPK with Compound C prevented CLP-induced autophagy and exacerbated tissue injury. Additionally, CLP led to endothelial injury as determined by electron microscopy and Evan’s blue dye extravasation, and AICAR limited this injury. Furthermore, AICAR limited CLP and LPS induced upregulation of ICAM in vivo and in vitro, and decreased LPS induced neutrophil adhesion in vitro. Conclusion In this model, activation of AMPK was protective and AICAR minimized organ injury by decreasing inflammatory cytokines and endothelial activation. These data suggest that AMPK signaling influences sepsis or LPS induced endothelial activation and organ injury.

Following trauma there is an early hyper-reactive inflammatory response that can lead to multiple organ dysfunction and high mortality in trauma patients; this response is often accompanied by a delayed immunosuppression that adds the clinical complications of infection and can also increase mortality. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Many studies have begun to assess these changes in the reactivity of the immune system following trauma. [10][11][12][13][14][15] Immunologic studies are greatly supported through the wide variety of transgenic and knockout mice available for in vivo modeling; these strains aid in detailed investigations to assess the molecular pathways involved in the immunologic responses. [16][17][18][19][20][21] The challenge in experimental murine trauma modeling is long term investigation, as fracture fixation techniques in mice, can be complex and not easily reproducible. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] This pseudofracture model, an easily reproduced trauma model, overcomes these difficulties by immunologically mimicking an extremity fracture environment, while allowing freedom of movement in the animals and long term survival without the continual, prolonged use of anaesthesia. The intent is to recreate the features of long bone fracture; injured muscle and soft tissue are exposed to damaged bone and bone marrow without breaking the native bone.The pseudofracture model consists of two parts: a bilateral muscle crush injury to the hindlimbs, followed by injection of a bone solution into these injured muscles. The bone solution is prepared by harvesting the long bones from both hindlimbs of an age-and weight-matched syngeneic donor. These bones are then crushed and resuspended in phosphate buffered saline to create the bone solution.Bilateral femur fracture is a commonly used and well-established model of extremity trauma, and was the comparative model during the development of the pseudofracture model. Among the variety of available fracture models, we chose to use a closed method of fracture with soft tissue injury as our comparison to the pseudofracture, as we wanted a sterile yet proportionally severe peripheral tissue trauma model. 31 Hemorrhagic shock is a common finding in the setting of severe trauma, and the global hypoperfusion adds a very relevant element to a trauma model. [32][33][34][35][36] The pseudofracture model can be easily combined with a hemorrhagic shock model for a multiple trauma model of high severity. 37 Protocol

Although tissue-derived high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is involved in many aspects of inflammation and tissue injury after trauma, its role in trauma-induced immune suppression remains elusive. Using an established mouse model of peripheral tissue trauma, which includes soft tissue and fracture components, we report here that treatment with anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody ameliorated the trauma-induced attenuated T-cell responses and accumulation of CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the spleens seen two days after injury. Our data suggest that HMGB1 released after tissue trauma contributes to signaling pathways that lead to attenuation of T-lymphocyte responses and enhancement of myeloid-derived suppressor cell expansion.

Background Posttraumatic inflammatory changes have been identified as major causes of altered organ function and failure. Both hemorrhage and soft tissue damage induce these inflammatory changes. Exposure to heterologous bone in animal models has recently been shown to mimic this inflammatory response in a stable and reproducible fashion. This follow-up study tests the hypothesis that inflammatory responses are comparable between a novel trauma model (“pseudofracture”, PFx) and a bilateral femur fracture (BFF) model. Materials and Methods In C57BL/6 mice, markers for remote organ dysfunction and inflammatory responses were compared in 4 groups (control/sham/BFF/PFx) at the time points 2, 4, and 6 hours. Results Hepatocellular damage in BFF and PFx was highly comparable in extent and evolution, as shown by similar levels of NFκB activation and plasma ALT. Pulmonary inflammatory responses were also comparably elevated in both trauma models as early as 2h after trauma as measured by myeloperoxidase activity (MPO). Muscle damage was provoked in both BFF and PFx mice over the time course, although BFF induced significantly higher AST and CK levels. IL-6 levels were also similar with early and sustained increases over time in both trauma models. Conclusions Both BFF and PFx create similar reproducible inflammatory and remote organ responses. PFx will be a useful model to study longer term inflammatory effects that cannot be studied using BFF.

Background Much of the morbidity following trauma results from excessive activation of the innate immune system. This is manifested as a systemic inflammatory response and associated end-organ damage. Although mast cells are known to be important in many immune responses, their role in the systemic response to severe trauma is unknown. Study Design C57BL/6J-KitW-sh/BsmJ (mast cell deficient) and wild type mice were subjected to 1.5h of hemorrhagic shock plus bilateral femur fracture and soft tissue injury (HS/T), followed by resuscitation at 4.5h. Blood withdrawal volumes, mean arterial pressures; circulating cytokine, chemokine, High Mobility Group Box-1 (HMGB-1), double strain DNA (dsDNA), transaminase levels, and histology in liver and lung were compared between groups. Results Mast cell deficient mice exhibited greater hemodynamic stability than wild type mice. At baseline, the mast cell deficient mice exhibited no difference in any of the organ injury or inflammatory markers measured. As expected, wild type mice subjected to HS/T exhibited end organ damage manifested by marked increases in circulating Alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and double-strain DNA (dsDNA) levels, as well as histological evidence of tissue necrosis. In clear contrast, mast cell deficient mice exhibited almost no tissue damage. Similarly, the magnitude of increased circulating cytokine and chemokine induced by HS/T was much less in the mast cell deficient mice than in the wild type group. Conclusions Mast cell deficiency resulted in a damped systemic inflammatory response, greatly attenuated multiple organ injury, and more stable hemodynamics in HS/T. Thus, mast cells appear to be a critical component of the initial host response to severe injury.