New Delhi: Researchers at IIT Roorkee have shown the role of specific immune cell markers on the outcomes of sepsis and severe infection.
The study was supervised and led by Professor Pranita P. Sarangi, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Roorkee. The research has provided significant insights into the role of immune cell markers on several sepsis related complications.
BioCARe Women Scientist grant and Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award grant from the Department of Biotechnology, GoI, funded the research project of IIT Roorkee.
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 case of an uncontrolled and severe infection, commonly known as 'sepsis', there is an abnormal activation and localisation of these immune cells.
Prof. Pranita Sarangi of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has identified a new immunomodulatory function of the adhesion protein fibulin-7 (Fbln7) that may help treat sepsis or blood infection & other inflammatory diseases caused by abnormal functions of immune cells1 https://t.co/Rq7dvXT154
— IIT Roorkee (@iitroorkee) June 2, 2018
As a result, these cells form ensembles, move around the infected body, and get deposited in important organs such as the lung, kidney, and liver, which could lead to multi-organ failure or even death.
“Given the importance of monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils in sepsis, it is important to understand the mechanism of the migration of such cells to detect the stages of inflammation and sepsis”, said Professor Sarangi in her statement on Friday.
In the study, Professor Sarangi’s team 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 or 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.
“These findings will help in detecting the stages of sepsis and appropriate treatment”, stated Shiba Prasad Das, the lead researcher in the team, currently pursuing PhD under the supervision of Professor Sarangi, at the university.
In his statement about the study, Professor Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director at IIT Roorkee has stated that the research findings aid to the current understanding of sepsis biology and may prove to be helpful in the future developments of therapeutics against fatal conditions.
Results of the research findings have been published in The Journal of Immunology, the official journal of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI).
Earlier, the research work was presented at Immunocon 2019, the international conference organised by the Indian Immunology Society.
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