# Multiorgan immunohistochemical endothelial expression of E-selectin in a forensic case of sepsis

## TL;DR

This case study shows that E-selectin expression in multiple organs can help confirm sepsis in autopsies when clinical data is missing.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates multiorgan E-selectin positivity as a postmortem marker for sepsis.

## Key findings

- E-selectin was detected in pulmonary/bronchial arteries, supporting sepsis diagnosis.
- E-selectin was also found in cerebral cortex and medullary layer vessels.
- TMEM119-positive microglial cells were abundant in brain tissue and CSF.

## Abstract

Sepsis is one of the major threats for the survival and prognosis of patients in intensive care units. In cases where detailed clinical data and monitoring is available, the diagnosis of sepsis is reliable. But when clinical data are incomplete or missing and sepsis is only suspected based on the autopsy results, the picture is often equivocal. This report describes the gross pathological findings obtained from the autopsy of a 48-year-old woman with Crohn’s disease after surgical intervention. Macroscopically, we found intestinal perforation and signs of peritonitis. Histologically, the pulmonary/bronchial arteries were lined with E-selectin (CD 62E)-positive endothelial cells, which are an established postmortem histological marker of sepsis. We extended our investigations to the cerebral cortex and subcortical medullary layer. The endothelium of the cortical vessels and those in the cerebral medullary layer were likewise immunopositive for E-selectin. Furthermore, numerous TMEM119-positive, highly ramified microglial cell profiles were found in the grey and white matter. Microglial cells were lining the vascular profiles. In addition, TMEM119-positive microglial profiles were abundant in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Multiorgan E-selectin positivity of the vascular endothelia provides further evidence for the postmortem diagnosis of sepsis.