High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) : potential target in sepsis-associated encephalopathy

DeWulf, Bram; Minsart, Laurens; Verdonk, Franck; Kruys, Veronique; Piagnerelli, Michael; Maze, Mervyn; Saxena, Sarah

doi:10.3390/CELLS12071088

Title

High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) : potential target in sepsis-associated encephalopathy

Author

DeWulf, Bram

Minsart, Laurens

Verdonk, Franck

Kruys, Veronique

Piagnerelli, Michael

Maze, Mervyn

Saxena, Sarah

Abstract

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) remains a challenge for intensivists that is exacerbated by lack of an effective diagnostic tool and an unambiguous definition to properly identify SAE patients. Risk factors for SAE development include age, genetic factors as well as pre-existing neuropsychiatric conditions. Sepsis due to certain infection sites/origins might be more prone to encephalopathy development than other cases. Currently, ICU management of SAE is mainly based on non-pharmacological support. Pre-clinical studies have described the role of the alarmin high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in the complex pathogenesis of SAE. Although there are limited data available about the role of HMGB1 in neuroinflammation following sepsis, it has been implicated in other neurologic disorders, where its translocation from the nucleus to the extracellular space has been found to trigger neuroinflammatory reactions and disrupt the blood-brain barrier. Negating the inflammatory cascade, by targeting HMGB1, may be a strategy to complement non-pharmacologic interventions directed against encephalopathy. This review describes inflammatory cascades implicating HMGB1 and strategies for its use to mitigate sepsis-induced encephalopathy.

Language

English

Source (journal)

Cells

Publication

Basel : Mdpi , 2023

ISSN

2073-4409

DOI

10.3390/CELLS12071088

Volume/pages

12 :7 (2023) , p. 1-24