A Novel Therapeutic Target for Pediatric Pneumonia: Sestrin2

<i>Background and Objectives:</i> The mechanisms underlying pneumonia-associated complications are not yet fully understood. Emerging evidence indicates that Sestrin2 (SESN2), a component of the antioxidant defense system, may play a significant clinical role in various diseases. However, the relationship between Sestrin2 expression and pneumonia in pediatric patients is unclear. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> In this study, the relationship between Sestrin2 expression and pneumonia was investigated in children hospitalized for pneumonia between 1 January and 1 April 2024. <i>Results:</i> The study involved 39 patients with a median age of 48 months (range: 12-84) diagnosed with pneumonia and treated at our hospital's pediatric wards, as well as 37 healthy controls with a median age of 86 months (range: 48-132). In the patient group, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was higher than that in the control group, but the difference was non-significant (394.35 [322.61-586.14] vs. 380.99 [320.03-410.54], <i>p</i> = 0.057). Conversely, the SESN2 level was significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group (2.89 [1.94-4.1] vs. 3.58 [2.94-4.38], <i>p</i> = 0.039). Correlation analysis indicated a strong positive correlation between SESN2 and ROS in the patient group (r = 0.743, <i>p</i> = 0.001), along with a moderate negative correlation between SESN2 and age (r = -0.467, <i>p</i> = 0.003). <i>Conclusions:</i> The decreased SESN2 levels, as observed in the patient group, may contribute to the clinical manifestations of the disease. Mitigating oxidative stress, blocking the elevated ROS levels, and increasing SESN2 levels may be an important step in reducing pneumonia-related complications. For this purpose, SESN2 can be used as a clinical biomarker and prognostic factor in pediatric pneumonia.