Lymphocyte apoptosis, caspase activation and inflammatory response in septic shock

Background: We examined lymphocyte apoptosis, activity of caspases-1, -3, -8 and -9 and the relationship between those two events and inflammation response in septic shock. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were obtained within 24 h after diagnosis of septic shock from 16 patients to measure apoptosis, caspases-3, -8, -9 expression, changes in mitochondrial transmembrane potential and expression of Fas/FasL system of peripheral blood monuclear cells (PBMCs). Moreover, serum levels of caspase-1 and blood concentrations of IL-6, IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18 were assessed. Results: PBMCs from patients with septic shock compared to control individuals exhibited a greatly increased frequency of apoptosis (39.10 ± 7.33% vs 4.19 ± 1.13%; p < 0.001), an over expression of caspases-3, -8, and -9 (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.001 for caspases-3, -8 and -9, respectively) as well as of Fas/FasL system (p < 0.05) and significant changes in mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Blood levels of caspase-1 (101.5 ± 18.2 pg/ml vs 9.09 ± 2.7 pg/ml, p < 0.001) and of IL-6, IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18 were significantly higher in septic patients vs control (p < 0.0001, p < 0.05, p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Furthermore, a correlation linking IL-6 blood level with both the apoptotic rate (r2 = 0.75; p = 0.001) and caspase-9 expression (r2 = 0.92; p = 0.0001) of PBMCs was observed. © 2008 Springer.