Endothelial Activation: The Ang/Tie Axis in Sepsis

• Main Authors: Aleksandra Leligdowicz, Melissa Richard-Greenblatt, Julie Wright, Valerie M. Crowley, Kevin C. Kain
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-04-01
• Series: Frontiers in Immunology
• Subjects: endothelial dysfunction; Tie2 receptor; angiopoietins; sepsis; malaria; critical care
• Online Access: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00838/full

Sepsis, a dysregulated host response to infection that causes life-threatening organ dysfunction, is a highly heterogeneous syndrome with no specific treatment. Although sepsis can be caused by a wide variety of pathogenic organisms, endothelial dysfunction leading to vascular leak is a common mechanism of injury that contributes to the morbidity and mortality associated with the syndrome. Perturbations to the angiopoietin (Ang)/Tie2 axis cause endothelial cell activation and contribute to the pathogenesis of sepsis. In this review, we summarize how the Ang/Tie2 pathway is implicated in sepsis and describe its prognostic as well as therapeutic utility in life-threatening infections.