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Human sepsis increases lymphocyte intracellular calcium
G P Zaloga1, D Washburn, K W Black
1Department of Anesthesia, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1009.
Critical Care Medicine
|February 1, 1993
Summary
Human bacterial sepsis significantly increases lymphocyte free intracellular calcium. Septic serum factors can alter cellular calcium handling, impacting calcium homeostasis during sepsis.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Immunology
- Cellular Physiology
Background:
- Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection.
- Intracellular calcium plays a crucial role in immune cell function and activation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in lymphocyte free intracellular calcium concentrations during human bacterial sepsis.
- To identify potential circulating factors in sepsis that influence cellular calcium levels.
Main Methods:
- A prospective controlled study comparing lymphocyte free intracellular calcium in septic patients, critically ill nonseptic patients, and healthy controls.
- Measurement of intracellular calcium using the fluorescent dye fura-2.
- Evaluation of the effects of septic serum, endotoxin, TNF, and lysophosphatidylcholine on lymphocyte calcium.
Main Results:
- Septic patients exhibited significantly higher lymphocyte free intracellular calcium concentrations compared to controls.
- Lysophosphatidylcholine dose-dependently increased lymphocyte free intracellular calcium.
- Septic serum potentiated the calcium response to lysophosphatidylcholine but had no effect on resting levels.
Conclusions:
- Human bacterial sepsis disrupts lymphocyte intracellular calcium homeostasis.
- Circulating factors in septic serum can modulate cellular calcium handling, contributing to sepsis pathophysiology.