CD38 deficiency up-regulated IL-1β and MCP-1 through TLR4/ERK/NF-κB pathway in sepsis pulmonary injury

As a disease with high mortality, many cytokines and signaling pathways are associated with sepsis. The pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are participating in the pathogenesis of sepsis, especially in early stage. Moreover, the releases and expressions of cytokines are regulated by numerous signaling pathways, including TLR4/ERK pathway. But despite many studies have expounded the pathogenesis of sepsis and the regulation of cytokines in sepsis, how CD38 influence the expressions of related molecules in sepsis are still unknown. The aim of this study is illuminating the alteration of cytokines and signaling pathways in CD38(-/-) mice injected with Escherichia coli. Compared withWT mice, E. coli infection results in more severe pulmonary injuries and higher mRNA expressions of cytokines. Compared with E. coli infected WT mice, CD38 knockout leads to aggravated pulmonary injury, increased phosphorylated ERK1/2, p38 and NF-kB p65, and enhanced levels of IL-1 beta, iNOS and MCP-1. While compared with E. coli infected CD38(-/-) mice, TLR4 mutation results in alleviated pulmonary injury, down-regulated phosphorylated ERK1/2 and NF-kappa B p65, and decreased expressions of IL-1 beta and MCP-1. CD38 deficiency increased the expressions of IL-1 beta andMCP-1 and aggravated pulmonary injury through TLR4/ERK/NF-kB pathway in sepsis. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS on behalf of Institut Pasteur.