Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026
Characterizing Salmonella Typhimurium-induced Septic Peritonitis in Mice
Published on: July 29, 2022
Low Interleukin-7 Receptor Messenger RNA Expression Is Independently Associated With Day 28 Mortality in Septic Shock
Benjamin Delwarde1,2,3, Estelle Peronnet1,2, Fabienne Venet1,2,4
1EA7426 "Pathophysiology of injury-induced immunosuppression (PI3)," Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 - Hospices Civils de Lyon - bioMérieux, Lyon, France.
Objectives:
Septic shock is the primary cause of death in ICUs. A better comprehension of its pathophysiology, in particular, the immune alteration mechanisms, opened new therapeutic perspectives such as the recombinant interleukin-7. The use of biomarkers could improve the identification of eligible patients for this therapy. The soluble form of the interleukin-7 appears as a promising candidate in this regard since an association between its high plasmatic level and mortality in critically ill patients has been demonstrated. Because there are no data available on the transcriptional regulation of the interleukin-7 receptor in such patients, this study aimed to explore the expression level of different interleukin-7 receptor transcripts after septic shock and evaluate their association with mortality.
Design:
Retrospective discovery cohort (30 patients) and validation cohort (177 patients).
Setting:
Two French ICUs (discovery study) and six French ICUs (validation study).
Patients:
Adult septic shock patients.
Interventions:
None.
Measurements And Main Results:
The quantification of several interleukin-7 receptor transcripts using specific reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction designs allowed for global evaluation of interleukin-7 receptor gene expression in whole blood. In the discovery cohort, all interleukin-7 receptor transcripts studied were expressed at lower levels in septic shock patients than in healthy volunteers. Interleukin-7 receptor gene expression at day 3 after septic shock diagnosis was associated with day 28 mortality. Patients at a lower risk of death showed higher expression levels. These results were confirmed in the independent validation cohort. Interestingly, using a threshold obtained on the discovery cohort, we observed in the validation cohort a high negative predictive value for day 28 mortality for the transcript encoding the membrane form of interleukin-7 receptor (0.86; 95% CI, 0.79-0.93).
Conclusions:
Interleukin-7 receptor transcripts appear as biomarkers of impaired adaptive immune response in septic shock patients and as a promising tool for patient stratification in clinical trials evaluating immunoadjuvant therapies.
Related Concept Videos
01:12What are Second Messengers?
01:42What is Gene Expression?
Gene expression is the process in which DNA directs the synthesis of functional products, that is, proteins. Cells can regulate gene expression at various stages. It allows organisms to generate different cell types and enables cells to adapt to internal and external factors.
Genetic Information Flows from DNA to RNA to Protein
A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is made up of nucleotides and proteins consist of amino...
01:23RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
01:23RNA Structure
The basic structure of RNA consists of a five-carbon sugar and one of four nitrogenous bases. Although most RNA is single-stranded, it can form complex secondary and tertiary structures. Such structures play essential roles in the regulation of transcription and translation.
Different Types of RNA Have the Same Basic Structure
There are three main types of ribonucleic acid (RNA): messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). All three RNA types consist of a...
01:23Types of RNA
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
01:21Introduction to Test of Independence
The test statistic for a test of independence is similar to that of a goodness-of-fit test: