It won't yet be at the Science News site, but likely will be in a week.
 
In the January 3, 2004 issue (volume 165) on pages 5 and 6 is an article
titled "Pivotal Protein, inhibiting immune compound slows sepsis" and the
first sentence is "By restraining the action of an immune system protein
that can run amok, scientists experimenting on mice have reversed the
course of severe sepsis, and often fatal blood infection that shuts down
vital organs."  It points out that the cause can be microbial toxins or
which set off an immune response that leads to sepsis, with the body
mass-producing inflammatory proteins such as TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis
factor alpha) and HMGB1 (high-mobility group box 1).  Work by Kevin J.
Tracey, a neurosurgeon at North Shore - Long Island Jewish Research
Institute and his team.  The inflammatory spiral appears to be
orchestrated by TNF-alpha with HMBG1 possibly damaging the linings of
body cavities, making them leaky, resulting in chemical imbalance that
can hypothetically cause the organ failures which occur.  They set
infection up in 36 mice and gave one group antibodies against HMGB1 and
the other group unrelated antibodies.  After two weeks the survival
numbers were 13 vs. 5.  A later study using a HMGB1 inhibiting drug
called A-box found similar proportions.
 
There is a note from a Harvard Medical School pulmonologist who says
there seems to be real promise here, but he also points out that sepsis
has multiple ways of killing which differ widely.  In some cases
anti-inflammatory proteins can compromise immunity.  It may be that
measuring blood concentrations of HMGB1 or genetic profiling may give
an idea when this experimental therapy may work best.
 
For the full study report: Jan.  6th "Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences".
 
After losing Chiclet this year we are very glad to see any progress made
in the treatment of sepsis.
[Posted in FML issue 4382]