Neutrophil extracellular traps in COVID-19.

Link to article at PubMed

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Neutrophil extracellular traps in COVID-19.

JCI Insight. 2020 Apr 24;:

Authors: Zuo Y, Yalavarthi S, Shi H, Gockman K, Zuo M, Madison JA, Blair CN, Weber A, Barnes BJ, Egeblad M, Woods RJ, Kanthi Y, Knight JS

Abstract
In severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), viral pneumonia progresses to respiratory failure. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are extracellular webs of chromatin, microbicidal proteins, and oxidant enzymes that are released by neutrophils to contain infections. However, when not properly regulated, NETs have potential to propagate inflammation and microvascular thrombosis - including in the lungs of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. While elevated levels of blood neutrophils predict worse outcomes in COVID-19, the role of NETs has not been investigated. We now report that sera from patients with COVID-19 (n = 50 patients, n = 84 samples) have elevated levels of cell-free DNA, myeloperoxidase(MPO)-DNA, and citrullinated histone H3 (Cit-H3); the latter two are highly specific markers of NETs. Highlighting the potential clinical relevance of these findings, cell-free DNA strongly correlated with acute phase reactants including C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as absolute neutrophil count. MPO-DNA associated with both cell-free DNA and absolute neutrophil count, while Cit-H3 correlated with platelet levels. Importantly, both cell-free DNA and MPO-DNA were higher in hospitalized patients receiving mechanical ventilation as compared with hospitalized patients breathing room air. Finally, sera from individuals with COVID-19 triggered NET release from control neutrophils in vitro. In summary, these data reveal high levels of NETs in many patients with COVID-19, where they may contribute to cytokine release and respiratory failure. Future studies should investigate the predictive power of circulating NETs in longitudinal cohorts, and determine the extent to which NETs may be novel therapeutic targets in severe COVID-19.

PMID: 32329756 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

One Comment

  1. Would you be interested in therapeutics that have been tested as targeting Neutrophil extracellular traps ? I have some very interesting data that conclusively shows effectiveness. I am a legitimate pharmaceutical formulator living in the St. Louis area, have been on the research faculty at Washington University in St. Louis.

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