Soluble Semaphorin 4D Serum Concentrations Are Elevated in Critically Ill Patients with Liver Cirrhosis and Correlate with Aminotransferases
Samira Abu Jhaisha,
Philipp Hohlstein,
Eray Yagmur,
Vera Köller,
Maike R. Pollmanns,
Jule K. Adams,
Theresa H. Wirtz,
Jonathan F. Brozat,
Lukas Bündgens,
Karim Hamesch,
Ralf Weiskirchen,
Frank Tacke,
Christian Trautwein,
Alexander Koch
Affiliations
Samira Abu Jhaisha
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Philipp Hohlstein
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Eray Yagmur
Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Western Palatinate Hospital, 67655 Kaiserslautern, Germany
Vera Köller
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Maike R. Pollmanns
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Jule K. Adams
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Theresa H. Wirtz
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Jonathan F. Brozat
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Lukas Bündgens
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Karim Hamesch
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Ralf Weiskirchen
Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Frank Tacke
Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
Christian Trautwein
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Alexander Koch
Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D), also known as CD100, is a multifunctional transmembrane protein with immunoregulatory functions. Upon the activation of immune cells, soluble Semaphorin 4D (sSema4D) is proteolytically cleaved from the membrane by metalloproteinases. sSema4D levels are elevated in various (auto-)inflammatory diseases. Our aim was to investigate sSema4D levels in association with sepsis and critical illnesses and to evaluate sSema4D’s potential as a prognostic biomarker. We measured sSema4D levels in 192 patients upon admission to our medical intensive care unit. We found similar levels of sSema4D in 125 patients with sepsis compared to 67 non-septic patients. sSema4D levels correlated with leukocytes but not with other markers of systemic inflammation such as C-reactive protein or procalcitonin. Most interestingly, in a subgroup of patients suffering from pre-existing liver cirrhosis, we observed significantly higher levels of sSema4D. Consistently, sSema4D was also positively correlated with markers of hepatic and cholestatic injury. Our study suggests that sSema4D is not regulated in sepsis compared to other causes of critical illness. However, sSema4D seems to be associated with hepatic injury and inflammation.
