The kidney protects against sepsis by producing systemic uromodulin

Abstract

Specific therapies to improve outcomes in sepsis with kidney injury have been limited by an unclear understanding of how kidney injury increases sepsis mortality. Here, we identified Tamm–Horsfall protein, known to protect in ischemic acute kidney injury, as protective in preclinical sepsis models. Tamm–Horsfall protein also increased in clinical sepsis without severe kidney injury and concentrated in injured organs. Further study could lead to novel sepsis therapeutics.