Protection of mice against cecal ligation and puncture-induced polymicrobial sepsis by a Fasciola hepatica helminth defence molecule

Sepsis results from a dysregulated host immune response to infection and is responsible for ~11 million deaths each year. In the laboratory, many aspects of sepsis can be replicated using a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model, which is considered the most clinically relevant rodent model of sepsis. In the present study, histological and biomarker multiplex analyses revealed that the CLP model initiated a large-scale inflammatory response in mice by 24 h, with evidence of acute organ damage by 48-72 h. While many typical pro-inflammatory cytokine/chemokines were systemically elevated, a specific array including IL-10, eotaxin, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, MCP-1 and RANTES noticeably increased just prior to animals reaching the humane endpoint. Treatment of mice with 10 μg of a synthetic 68-amino acid peptide derived from an immunomodulatory molecule secreted by a parasitic worm of humans and livestock, Fasciola hepatica, termed Fasciola hepatica helminth defence molecule (FhHDM), potently suppressed the systemic inflammatory profile, protected mice against acute kidney injury, and improved survival between 48 and 72 h post-procedure. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory parasite-derived FhHDM peptide has potential as a bio-therapeutic treatment for sepsis.