Neutrophil extracellular traps kill bacteria.
Neutrophils engulf and kill bacteria when their antimicrobial granules fuse with the phagosome. Here, we describe that, upon activation, neutrophils release granule proteins and chromatin that together form extracellular fibers that bind Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. These neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) degrade virulence factors and kill bacteria. NETs are abundant in vivo in experimental dysentery and spontaneous human appendicitis, two examples of acute inflammation. NETs appear to be a form of innate response that binds microorganisms, prevents them from spreading, and ensures a high local concentration of antimicrobial agents to degrade virulence factors and kill bacteria.
Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Schumannstrasse 21/22, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Volker
V
Brinkmann
Ulrike
U
Reichard
Christian
C
Goosmann
Beatrix
B
Fauler
Yvonne
Y
Uhlemann
David S
DS
Weiss
Yvette
Y
Weinrauch
Arturo
A
Zychlinsky
D000818:Animals; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D015638:Cytochalasin D / Q000494:pharmacology; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000276:immunology; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D018375:Neutrophil Activation; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011817:Rabbits; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D012763:Shigella flexneri / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006657:Histones; D037521:Virulence Factors; C087447:ipaB protein, Shigella; D015638:Cytochalasin D; D004247:DNA; D010450:Endopeptidases; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase