BACKGROUND: Gelsolin (GSN) is an actin-binding and PIP₂/Ca²⁺-regulated protein found in the cytoplasm and blood plasma. Hypogelsolinemia occurs in a wide range of traumatic injuries and inflammatory reactions. We hypothesize that blood GSN levels will be altered in patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that develop sepsis, and assessment of GSN concentration will be a useful marker to determine their clinical outcome. To achieve this task, we evaluated the plasma gelsolin concentration in blood samples collected from patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at initial stages of sepsis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: To assess if AML patients might be at risk of sepsis, a SOFA score was determined. Plasma gelsolin concentration was evaluated using an immunoblotting technique.

RESULTS: We found that GSN concentration in the blood of the AML group with developing sepsis was significantly lower (32±41 µg/ml; p<0.05) compared to the AML group (65±35 µg/ml) and control group (176±37 µg/ml; p<0.001). Additionally, low gelsolin concentration in the blood of AML patients developing sepsis was associated with a high SOFA score. A decrease of GSN concentration in the blood of AML subjects with developing sepsis suggests that GSN level in blood reflects not only chronic inflammation stage associated with leukemia, but that GSN depletion also manifests the inflammation associated with sepsis development.

CONCLUSIONS: The results presented here suggest the possible utility of GSN evaluation for diagnostic purposes. Overall, these data support the that reversing plasma GSN deficiency might be a possible new strategy in sepsis treatment.

Keywords: C-Reactive Protein, Gelsolin, Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute, Sepsis