Can BMP9 prevent septic shock?

Role of BMP9 in protecting pulmonary vascular integrity: Implication in sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

Sepsis is a serious condition, caused by infection, which can lead to septic shock. Septic shock is when our own immune system overreacts, and it often has a damaging effect on the lungs, leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). One of the causes of ARDS is increased leakiness of the blood vessels in the lungs, and treatments to prevent this leakiness are urgently needed. In recent studies, Dr Wei Li showed that a molecule found in the blood, called BMP9, can protect lung blood vessels. BMP9 levels drop in models of ARDS. This project aims to find out exactly how BMP9 protects the blood vessels, and how its level decreases during sepsis. The team will study changes in human blood capillary cells before and after they are treated with a drug to block BMP9, as well as differences in genes and circulatory molecules in the lungs of mice. They also discovered that levels of the molecule elastase, which can break down BMP9, are increased in sepsis. They will now determine if blocking elastase, or increasing levels of BMP9, can prevent a drop in levels of BMP9 and reduce blood vessel leakiness in mice with ARDS. They will also measure the levels of BMP9 and elastase in people with sepsis or ARDS to see if they are similarly altered in their blood. This research will increase our understanding of the role of BMP9 in the blood vessels of the lungs, and could help develop new treatment opportunities for people with septic shock and ARDS.