Heparan sulfate increases survival during gut-derived sepsis by decreasing bacterial translocation and enhancing host defense.

The effect of heparan sulfate (HS) on survival rate, bacterial translocation, and host defense was studied in a model of gut-derived sepsis that included transfusion-induced immunosuppression. Balb/c mice were treated pre- and postburn injury and bacterial challenge with HS, 5 mg/kg/day, or sterile phosphate-buffered saline. The HS pre- and postburn treated animals showed a significant improvement in survival compared to control animals (80 vs. 30%, p = .004, and 60 vs. 20%, p = .02, respectively). A lower amount of translocation was observed in the spleen (p < or = .001) of the HS group compared to control group. Quantitative colony counts and the calculated percentage of viable bacteria showed that the ability to kill translocated organisms was enhanced in all tissues of the animals receiving HS. These data suggest that treatment with HS positively affects the outcome in gut-derived sepsis. The beneficial effect was related both to an improved gut barrier function and to an enhanced host defense.