Sepsis is an
infection-induced
systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Upstream recognition molecules, like CD14, play key roles in the pathogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of systemic CD14 inhibition on local inflammatory responses in organs from septic pigs. Pigs (n = 34) receiving Escherichia coli-bacteria or E. coli-
lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were treated with an anti-CD14
monoclonal antibody or an isotype-matched control. Lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys were examined for bacteria and inflammatory
biomarkers. E. coli and LPS were found in large amounts in the lungs compared to the liver, spleen, and kidneys. Notably, the bacterial load did not predict the respective organ inflammatory response. There was a marked variation in
biomarker induction in the organs and in the effect of anti-CD14. Generally, the spleen produced the most
cytokines per weight unit, whereas the liver contributed the most to the total load. All
cytokines were significantly inhibited in the spleen.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was significantly inhibited in all organs, IL-1β and IP-10 were significantly inhibited in liver, spleen, and kidneys, and
tumor necrosis factor,
IL-8, and
PAI-1 were inhibited only in the spleen.
ICAM-1 and
VCAM-1 was significantly inhibited in the kidneys. Systemic CD14-inhibition efficiently, though organ dependent, attenuated local inflammatory responses. Detailed knowledge on how the different organs respond to systemic
inflammation in vivo, beyond the information gained by blood examination, is important for our understanding of the nature of systemic
inflammation and is required for future mediator-directed
therapy in
sepsis. Inhibition of CD14 seems to be a good candidate for such treatment.