Carbon monoxide in the treatment of sepsis

Kiichi Nakahira, Augustine M.K. Choi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

Carbon monoxide (CO), a low-molecular-weight gas, is endogenously produced in the body as a product of heme degradation catalyzed by heme oxygenase (HO) enzymes. As the beneficial roles of HO system have been elucidated in vitro and in vivo, CO itself has also been reported as a potent cytoprotective molecule. Whereas CO represents a toxic inhalation hazard at high concentration, low-dose exogenous CO treatment (~250–500 parts per million) demonstrates protective functions including but not limited to the anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects in preclinical models of human diseases. Of note, CO exposure confers protection in animal models of sepsis by inhibiting inflammatory responses and also enhancing bacterial phagocytosis in leukocytes. These unique functions of CO including both dampening inflammation and promoting host defense mechanism are mediated by multiple pathways such as autophagy induction or biosynthesis of specialized proresolving lipid mediators. We suggest that CO gas may represent a novel therapy for patients with sepsis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)L1387-L1393
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Volume309
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015

Keywords

  • Carbon monoxide
  • Clinical trial
  • Sepsis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Physiology (medical)
  • Cell Biology

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