Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

05:30
Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: August 5, 2014
29.7K
Human Lung Cell Pyroptosis Following Traumatic Brain Injury.
Nadine A Kerr1, Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari2, Oliver Umland3
1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA. N.Kerr@med.miami.edu.
Cells
|January 24, 2019
Summary
Serum extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying inflammasome proteins like ASC are elevated in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients with lung injury. These EVs promote lung endothelial cell pyroptosis, highlighting a key mechanism in TBI-induced lung injury.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical research
- Trauma science
- Cellular biology
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently leads to acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated inflammasome signaling is implicated in TBI-induced lung injury.
- The role of serum-derived EVs and inflammasome components in TBI patients with lung injury requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze serum-derived EVs in severe TBI patients, focusing on particle characteristics and inflammasome component levels.
- To investigate the association between serum and EV-bound inflammasome components (specifically ASC) and the presence of lung injury post-TBI.
- To determine the functional impact of serum-derived EVs from TBI patients on lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-L) in vitro.
Main Methods:
- Serum-derived EVs from TBI patients were characterized for size, concentration, and origin.
- Levels of the inflammasome component ASC were quantified in serum and serum-derived EVs.
- EVs were co-cultured with HMVEC-L to assess inflammasome activation and endothelial cell pyroptosis.
- Comparison of ASC levels between TBI patients with and without lung injury.
Main Results:
- TBI patients exhibited increased serum-derived EV concentration and ASC levels.
- Severe TBI patients with lung injury showed significantly higher ASC levels in serum and EVs compared to those without lung injury.
- EVs from TBI patients induced inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in HMVEC-L.
- Neural origin of EVs was observed only in TBI patients with gunshot wounds.
Conclusions:
- Serum-derived EVs and inflammasome proteins play a critical role in TBI-induced lung injury pathogenesis.
- An EV-mediated neural-respiratory inflammasome axis is implicated in TBI-induced lung injury.
- Elevated ASC in serum EVs may serve as a biomarker for lung injury following TBI.
Related Concept Videos
Lung Capacity
56.3K
The air in the lungs is measured in volumes and capacities. Lung volume measures reflect the amount of air taken in, released, or left over after a lung function, like a single inhalation. Lung capacity measures are sums of two or more lung volume measures.
56.3K
Traumatic Memory
579
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual...
579
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
549
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters, forced displacement, or severe accidents. It significantly impairs individuals' ability to cope with daily activities and disrupts their emotional and psychological equilibrium.
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
549
Pleura of the Lungs
7.2K
The lungs are nestled in a cavity, shielded by the pleura. The pleura, a form of serous membrane, wraps around each lung. This membrane arrangement consists of two layers: the visceral and parietal pleurae. The visceral pleura lines the surface of the lungIn contrast, the parietal pleura is the outer layer and contacts to the thoracic wall, the mediastinum, and the diaphragm. The hilum is the point of connection between the visceral and parietal layers. The space between the parietal and...
7.2K
Burn Injuries
4.4K
Burn injuries occur when the skin and underlying tissues are damaged due to exposure to heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, or friction. They can vary in severity, from minor superficial burns to severe deep burns that can be life-threatening.
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
4.4K
Gross Anatomy of the Lungs
4.7K
The lungs are a pair of vital organs connected to the trachea via the left and right bronchi. The base of these organs meets the dome-shaped muscle known as the diaphragm. Encased by the pleurae, the lungs contact the mediastinum. The right lung is shorter yet wider, and has a larger volume than the left lung. The left lung has an indentation known as the cardiac notch. The superior region of the lungs is referred to as the apex, whereas the base is the lower region near the diaphragm. The...
4.7K

