title: Gender differences in circulating levels of neutrophil extracellular traps in serum of multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) trap and kill pathogens very efficiently but also activate dendritic cells and prime T cells. Previously, we demonstrated that neutrophils are primed and circulating NETs are elevated in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Here, we demonstrate gender specific differences in circulating NETs but not in neutrophil priming in RRMS patients. Although the results from our systematic and in depth characterization of these patients argue against a major role of circulating NETs in this disease, they suggest that NETs may underlie gender-specific differences in MS pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neuroimmunology and Clinical MS Research (INiMS), Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tillack
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naegele
authors.forename: Cathleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haueis
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schippling
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wandinger
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sospedra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D018375:Neutrophil Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Gender; Multiple sclerosis; Neutrophil; Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)