Scientists at the University of Helsinki and Wihuri Research Institute, both in Finland, discovered a way to inhibit vascular leakage, which can cause sepsis, by targeting vascular integrins, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Integrins are cell surface receptors that mediate interactions between cells and their surroundings. By targeting integrins with certain antigens, scientists blocked capillary leakage associated with many difficult-to-cure diseases, including sepsis.
"Sepsis may develop unexpectedly and proceed fast. When the patients arrive at the hospital, the disease may have already progressed," said study author Dr. Pipsa Saharinen, a researcher at the University of Helsinki and Wihuri Research Institute. "It would be important to have the means to inhibit vessel leakiness and the development of a more severe disease."
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