Anti-CXCL16 antibody protected mice from severe sepsis
Because the administration of recombinant murine CXCL16 worsened sepsis-induced mortality, we performed the reverse experiment and investigated the effects of blocking CXCL16 using a mouse anti-CXCL16 antibody in severe CLP. The survival rate in septic mice treated with anti–CXCL16 blocking antibodies was significantly greater than that in the IgG-treated control group (Figure 6A). Lung, liver, and kidney inflammation was significantly decreased in septic mice treated with anti-CXCL16 antibody as compared with mice treated with isotypic IgG (Figure 6B). Blockade of CXCL16 significantly decreased the pathology scores for lungs, livers, and kidneys after severe sepsis (Figure 6C). Furthermore, serum levels of ALT, AST, LDH and creatinine were significantly down-regulated in septic mice treated with anti-CXCL16 antibody at 24 h after CLP (Figure 6D). Remarkably, treatment with anti-CXCL16 antibody did not affect the bacterial clearance in mice after severe CLP, and mice treated with anti-CXCL16 antibody had similar bacterial loads from peritoneum and blood when compared with mice treated with IgG control after severe CLP (Supplementary Figure 4).