Background: Sepsis is one of most common causes of death in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to infection and inflammation. The Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) regulates pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus playing an important role in inflammation.
Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the correlation among erythrocyte transfusion, macrophage pyroptosis and inflammation in the progression of sepsis.
Material and methods: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT/GPT) activity was measured with the ALT/GPT activity measurement kit (Jiancheng Bio, Nanjing, China) according to the kit manual. The ET-1 concentration was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the endothelin-1 (ET-1) measurement kit (Jiancheng Bio) according to the kit manual. Apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry-based Annexin V staining assay. The cells were collected using centrifugation and resuspended in binding buffer. Ultrastructural analysis of pyroptotic body, the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, IL-33, MIP-2, CXCL8, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and LTB4 were measured with ELISA.
Results: Our results showed that septic rats had impaired hepatic function and ET-1 levels. Erythrocyte transfusion upregulated DARC expression in the sepsis model. Erythrocyte transfusion also affected pyroptosis in macrophages, reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-18 and IL-33, and alleviated cytotoxicity in the sepsis model.
Conclusions: Erythrocyte transfusion may function as a therapeutic tool against sepsis by regulating pyroptosis, inflammation and cytotoxicity.
Keywords: DARC; erythrocyte; pyroptosis; sepsis; transfusion.