Controversy remains whether the leukocyte genomic response to trauma or sepsis is
dependent upon the initiating stimulus. Previous work illustrated poor correlations between
historical models of murine trauma and sepsis (ie, trauma-hemorrhage and
lipopolysaccharide injection, respectively). The aim of this study is to examine the early
genomic response in improved murine models of sepsis [cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)]
and trauma [polytrauma (PT)] with and without pneumonia (PT+ Pp). Groups of naïve, CLP …

Recent comparisons of the murine and human transcriptome in health and disease have
called into question the appropriateness of the use of murine models for human sepsis and
trauma research. More specifically, researchers have debated the suitability of mouse
models of severe inflammation that is intended for eventual translation to human patients.
This mini-review outlines this recent research, as well as specifically defines the arguments
for and against murine models of sepsis and trauma research based on these transcriptional …