title: Ulinastatin improves survival of septic mice by suppressing inflammatory response and lymphocyte apoptosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sepsis involves imbalance between the proinflammatory and antiinflammatory response to bacterial insults. Ulinastatin (UTI) is a serine protease inhibitor and reportedly exhibits antiinflammatory properties aside from its blocking of the protease pathway both in vitro and in vivo. This study was designed to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy of UTI for sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult C57BL/6 male mice were divided into three groups: sham group, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) group, and CLP + UTI group. Acute septic peritonitis was induced by CLP. Saline and UTI (100,000 U/kg) were intravenously injected 30 min after CLP in CLP and CLP + UTI groups, respectively. Samples were collected for further analysis 24 h after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  UTI administration significantly improved 7-d survival; ameliorated morphologic damage and weight loss in the spleen and thymus; decreased serum tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels; increased the number of T and B cells in peripheral blood, spleen, and thymus; and inhibited T-cell apoptosis in the thymus and spleen in septic mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UTI exerted a protective effect against sepsis by suppressing inflammatory response and lymphocyte apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yingwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jinbao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D006023:Glycoproteins; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; C028665:urinastatin