Sepsis, a systemic inflammatory response to infection, remains a leading cause of mortality in intensive care units, with sepsis-induced immunosuppression being a critical pathophysiological process. In this study, we investigated the role of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) in sepsis-induced CD8+ T cell exhaustion, a key driver of immunosuppression. Clinical analyses of patients with sepsis revealed that reduced peripheral blood lymphocyte levels, particularly CD8+ T cell depletion, strongly correlated with worsened outcomes. In a murine sepsis model, single-cell RNA-Seq revealed a significant decrease in the proportion of CD8+ T cells and an increase in the proportion of exhausted CD8+ T cells in mouse lungs. Adoptive transfer of CD8+ T cells effectively reduced sepsis mortality by preserving organ function. We further demonstrated that HDAC1 expression was significantly upregulated in CD8+ T cells from patients with sepsis. In vitro studies showed that HDAC1 inhibition preserved CD8+ T cell function by maintaining T cell activity and reducing the expression of inhibitory molecules such as PD-1. Pharmacological inhibition of HDAC1 reduced mortality and reversed CD8+ T cell exhaustion by restoring the balance between activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Additionally, we found that HDAC1 directly interacted with NFAT1, promoting its nuclear translocation and further enhancing the expression of inhibitory molecules. Our findings highlight HDAC1 as a potential therapeutic target for sepsis-induced immunosuppression. By elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying HDAC1-mediated immunosuppression, we have provided potential strategies for developing immunomodulatory therapies for the treatment of sepsis.
Liu Di, Jiang-bo Fan, Rui Wang, You Li, Wan-da Bi, Si-yuan Huang, Heng-hai Nie, Xi-feng Feng, Hua-cai Zhang, Juan Du, Xiao-fei Huang, An-yong Yu, Zhe Xu, Fei Xia, Jian-xin Jiang, Shuang-shuang Dai, Xiang Xu, Zhen Wang, Ling Zeng
Usage data is cumulative from February 2026 through July 2026.
| Usage | JCI | PMC |
|---|---|---|
| Text version | 2,436 | 0 |
| 427 | 0 | |
| Figure | 1,154 | 0 |
| Table | 98 | 0 |
| Supplemental data | 376 | 0 |
| Citation downloads | 288 | 0 |
| Totals | 4,779 | 0 |
| Total Views | 4,779 | |
Usage information is collected from two different sources: this site (JCI) and Pubmed Central (PMC). JCI information (compiled daily) shows human readership based on methods we employ to screen out robotic usage. PMC information (aggregated monthly) is also similarly screened of robotic usage.
Various methods are used to distinguish robotic usage. For example, Google automatically scans articles to add to its search index and identifies itself as robotic; other services might not clearly identify themselves as robotic, or they are new or unknown as robotic. Because this activity can be misinterpreted as human readership, data may be re-processed periodically to reflect an improved understanding of robotic activity. Because of these factors, readers should consider usage information illustrative but subject to change.