Variability in Sepsis Response Explained in New Study

New research has uncovered how an individual's genetic makeup influences their immune response to sepsis. Published in Cell Genomics, this discovery paves the way for personalized treatment approaches based on a patient's unique genetic profile, rather than relying solely on symptoms.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Oxford, and collaborators, built upon previous work that identified distinct subgroups of sepsis patients. By analyzing genetic variants that regulate gene expression (eQTLs) in 1,400 sepsis patients, the team uncovered the genetic basis for variability in sepsis response.

"Our study is the next step toward being able to treat sepsis based on someone's genetics and their particular immune response, instead of their symptoms, which can vary greatly from person to person. Our research found two groups of people, with opposite immune responses, and identified the genetic regulators involved. Being able to molecularly categorise patients with sepsis allows clinicians to correctly identify who could benefit from the available treatments and gives new direction to those developing targeted therapies," explained Katie Burnham, the study's first author.

Understanding the regulatory networks underlying different patient responses provides crucial information for developing targeted treatments that work in harmony with the immune system. As Emma Davenport, co-senior author, noted, "Understanding the molecular processes that happen during sepsis, and how genetics plays a role in this, can help give answers to long-standing questions, improve patient outcomes, and allow for the development of effective clinical trials that lead to new targeted treatments as quickly as possible."