Evaluation of a Reliable Biomarker in a Cecal Ligation and Puncture-Induced Mouse Model of Sepsis

Sepsis is a severe life-threatening and rapidly developing disease that causes millions of deaths annually worldwide. Researchers have made tremendous efforts to elucidate the pathophysiology of sepsis using various animal models; the mouse model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) is widely used in laboratories. The three technical aspects that affect the severity and replicability of the CLP model are the percentage of cecum ligated, the size of the needle used for cecal puncture, and the volume of feces squeezed into the abdominal cavity. The rapid and specific diagnosis of sepsis is a crucial factor that affects the outcome. The gold standard for sepsis diagnosis is microbial culture; however, this process is time-consuming and sometimes inaccurate. The detection of sepsis-specific biomarkers is fast, but the existing biomarkers are unsatisfactory due to a short half-life, non-specificity, and insufficient sensitivity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a reliable biomarker of sepsis in the early stages. Previous publications suggest that excessive neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) occur in sepsis. Citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3), as a NET component, is elevated both in septic animals and patients, and the presence of CitH3 is a reliable diagnostic biomarker of sepsis. The present study aimed to describe a standardized mouse model of CLP-induced sepsis and establish a reliable blood biomarker of sepsis. Our work may contribute to the early and accurate diagnosis of sepsis in the future.