Gene profiling in human blood leucocytes during recovery from septic shock.

OBJECTIVE: To assess blood leucocytes gene profiling during recovery phase of septic shock; to test the relation between encoding gene expression and protein level. STUDY DESIGN: Gene expression levels were studied at days 0, 1, 7 and 28 (D0, 1, 7 and 28) on a dedicated microarray of 340 genes involved in inflammatory processes. SETTINGS: 16-bed intensive care unit, Lariboisière University hospital. PATIENTS: Seventeen septic shock patients enrolled when at least one additional organ dysfunction occurred. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Changes over time were compared with D0 via the ratio Dx/D0. The time-related gene expression study showed significant changes in ten genes. Among them, S100A8 and S100A12 had a reduced expression over time compared with D0, whereas CD74's expression increased. The microarray results were validated by RT-qPCR for four genes. The S100A8 plasma levels decrease along recovery in parallel with the gene expression decrease. The CD74 gene expression evolution significantly correlated with HLA-DR monocyte expression. CONCLUSIONS: These results are the first description of variations in expression of key inflammatory genes in the course of the septic shock recovery period.