Inhibiting Eph/ephrin signaling reduces vascular leak and endothelial cell dysfunction in mice with sepsis
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Kumar, Vinod
Li, Pengcheng
RAPIDS Study Group
Schlapbach, Luregn J
Boyd, Andrew W
Coulthard, Mark G
Woodruff, Trent M
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Abstract
Sepsis is a life-threatening disease caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, resulting in 11 million deaths globally each year. Vascular endothelial cell dysfunction results in the loss of endothelial barrier integrity, which contributes to sepsis-induced multiple organ failure and mortality. Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (Eph) receptors and their ephrin ligands play a key role in vascular endothelial barrier disruption but are currently not a therapeutic target in sepsis. Using a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model of sepsis, we showed that prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of mice with EphA4-Fc, a decoy receptor and pan-ephrin inhibitor, resulted in improved survival and a reduction in vascular leak, lung injury, and endothelial cell dysfunction. EphA2−/− mice also exhibited reduced mortality and pathology after CLP compared with wild-type mice. Proteomics of plasma samples from mice with sepsis after CLP revealed dysregulation of a number of Eph/ephrins, including EphA2/ephrin A1. Administration of EphA4-Fc to cultured human endothelial cells pretreated with TNF-α or ephrin-A1 prevented loss of endothelial junction proteins, specifically VE-cadherin, with maintenance of endothelial barrier integrity. In children admitted to hospital with fever and suspected infection, we observed that changes in EphA2/ephrin A1 in serum samples correlated with endothelial and organ dysfunction. Targeting Eph/ephrin signaling may be a potential therapeutic strategy to reduce sepsis-induced endothelial dysfunction and mortality.
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Science Translational Medicine
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16
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744
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Khan, N; Kumar, V; Li, P; RAPIDS Study Group, LJ; Schlapbach, LJ; Boyd, AW; Coulthard, MG; Woodruff, TM, Inhibiting Eph/ephrin signaling reduces vascular leak and endothelial cell dysfunction in mice with sepsis, Science Translational Medicine, 2024, 16 (744), pp. eadg5768