Oncostatin-M is a prognostic biomarker and inflammatory mediator for sepsis

Oncostatin-M is a prognostic biomarker and inflammatory mediator for sepsis:

Abstract

Background

Oncostatin-M (OSM) is a pleiotropic cytokine of the IL-6 family. The role of OSM in sepsis remains unknown.

Methods

Serum OSM level was determined and analyzed in septic patients on day of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Furthermore, the effects of OSM on polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) were assessed.

Results

On day of ICU admission, septic patients had significantly higher serum OSM levels when compared with ICU patient controls and healthy volunteers, which were related to the severity of sepsis, including parameters such as the Sequential [Sepsis-related] Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, procalcitonin (PCT) level, and white blood cell (WBC) number. A high serum OSM level on ICU admission was associated with 28-day mortality in septic patients. In CLP-induced polymicrobial sepsis, anti-OSM antibody decreased tissue inflammation and injury, and thus improved survival, while local and systemic bacterial dissemination was almost constant. Complementarily, supplementation with recombinant OSM protein in septic mice increased tissue injury, amplified inflammation, and worsened mortality after CLP, while it did not affect bacterial dissemination in septic mice.

Conclusions

Sepsis results in an increased production of OSM, which might be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for sepsis.