{"id":4740,"date":"2020-08-26T09:40:27","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T09:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clinlabint.3wstaging.nl\/the-role-of-monocytes-in-the-progression-of-sepsis\/"},"modified":"2021-01-08T11:33:59","modified_gmt":"2021-01-08T11:33:59","slug":"the-role-of-monocytes-in-the-progression-of-sepsis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clinlabint.com\/the-role-of-monocytes-in-the-progression-of-sepsis\/","title":{"rendered":"The role of monocytes in the progression of sepsis"},"content":{"rendered":"

The increasing global burden of sepsis in healthcare calls for better diagnostic tests that allow earlier detection of sepsis and infections that could lead to sepsis. The major problem for patients at risk for sepsis is an immunological imbalance. Cells of the innate immune system, such as monocytes and neutrophils, are the first-line of defence against infections. In the presence of sepsis, these cells produce a flood of inflammatory cytokines, causing widespread inflammation that can lead to death. Monocytes perform multiple immunological functions, and play a role in the development of sepsis-induced inflammation and immunosuppression. Monocyte subpopulations with different functions and morphologies vary in number over the course of the inflammatory response. The monocyte distribution width (MDW) is a novel cellular marker of monocyte anisocytosis that can add significant value to the white blood cell (WBC) count and help detect sepsis in patients entering the emergency department (ED).<\/p>\n

by Elena A. Sukhacheva<\/b><\/p>\n

Sepsis epidemiology and definitions <\/b>
Sepsis is a major healthcare burden and, despite progress in diagnostic and treatment options, mortality from sepsis remains unacceptably high. The number of septic patients in the U.S., UK and EU is increasing [1\u20134]. Clearly, there is an unmet need for better diagnostic tests that can provide both the early detection of sepsis and the detection of severe infections that may progress to sepsis, if not diagnosed early enough. Global increases in sepsis frequency may be related to the aging population, as the incidence of sepsis is disproportionately increased in elderly adults, and age is an independent predictor of mortality [5]. Furthermore, immunosuppressive drugs, which are increasingly being used for diverse conditions, may result in more severe infections and increased sepsis frequency [6].
The definition of sepsis has recently been changed from the previous Sepsis-2 definition of a systemic inflammatory response (SIRS) in the presence of an infection [7], to the current Sepsis-3 definition of a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection [8].  The new Sepsis-3 definition reflects newfound understanding that the immune response in sepsis is more complex than previously thought, comprising both pro- and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Immune response in sepsis <\/b>
It is now clear that the major problem for patients with sepsis, or at high risk of developing sepsis, is immunological imbalance, and dysregulation of the mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunity. Sepsis occurs when the immune system begins, in one way or another, to lose the battle against severe infection. After sepsis onset, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1\u03b2, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor [TNF\u03b1]) by the cells of the innate immune system (neutrophils and monocytes) may result in a \u201ccytokine storm\u201d that produces overwhelming inflammation, which can lead to blood pressure collapse, coagulation abnormalities and, ultimately, organ failure and death. In the later stages of disease, patients who survive the cytokine storm may die from sepsis-related immunosuppression and an inability of the immune system to combat infection efficiently [9]. Inflammatory and immunosuppressive processes may overlap in sepsis [10,11], further complicating the biology of this fatal condition whose mechanisms are still poorly understood by scientists. Figure 1 shows the current understanding of immune imbalance in sepsis [12]. While all immune cells are involved in the immune response in sepsis [13\u201316] (Figure 2), this document is mainly focused on changes in monocytes, with other cell populations discussed only briefly. <\/p>\n

Under normal conditions, neutrophils usually stay in the circulation for only a few hours and undergo apoptosis within 24 hours of release from the bone marrow. In sepsis, the delay in neutrophil apoptosis [17,18], combined with the increased neutrophil production in the bone marrow, results in neutrophilia. The function of these neutrophils, however, is impaired [19], with decreased chemotactic activity [20,21], decreased antibacterial function and increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) [22].
Sepsis also has a profound effect on all the main lymphocyte subpopulations [14]: CD4+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells and B-cells undergo increased apoptosis; T-regulatory cells are more resistant to sepsis-induced apoptosis, leading to an increased proportion of T-regulatory cells and an immunosupressive phenotype. T-helper cell polarization from a pro-inflammatory Th1 phenotype towards an anti-inflammatory Th2 phenotype also contributes to increased immunosuppression in sepsis. <\/p>\n

Monocytes also undergo multiple changes in sepsis, but before discussing these phenomena, it is important to discuss some basic information about the biology and classification of monocytes.

Monocytes\u2019 biology and classification<\/b>
Monocytes are cells of the innate immune system, the body\u2019s first-line of defence against infection. Other cells of this system include neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, mast cells, as well as certain types of lymphocytes such as \u03b3\u03b4-T-cells and natural killer cells. The innate immune response develops during the first hours and days after pathogen invasion, and the majority of pathogens entering the human body usually are inactivated by this response and do not require adaptive mechanisms with lymphocyte involvement. <\/p>\n

Myeloid precursors in the bone marrow differentiate into promonocytes and then into mature monocytes that enter the peripheral blood. These monocytes stay in the circulation for one to three days, after which they migrate into tissues and organs, where they turn into macrophages and dendritic cells. Morphologically, monocytes are large cells measuring 10 to 18 \u00b5m in diameter, with convoluted nuclei and azurophilic granules in their cytoplasm.<\/p>\n

Monocytes and dendritic cells perform multiple immunological functions that include phagocytosis, antigen presentation and cytokine production. The function of these cells is regulated by a number of cell surface receptors: <\/p>\n