Effects and Mechanisms by Which Hypercapnic Acidosis Inhibits Sepsis-Induced Canonical Nuclear Factor-κB Signaling in the Lung.

Objective: Diverse effects of hypercapnic acidosis are mediated via inhibition of nuclear factor-κB, a pivotal transcription factor, in the setting of injury, inflammation, and repair, but the underlying mechanisms of action of hypercapnic acidosis on this pathway is unclear. We aim to examine the effect of hypercapnic acidosis on the nuclear factor-κB pathway in the setting of Escherichia coli-induced lung injury and characterize the underlying mechanisms in subsequent in vitro studies.

Design: In vivo animal study and subsequent in vitro studies.