title: Neutrophil extracellular traps in cancer progression.
abstract: Neutrophils are being increasingly recognized as an important element in tumor progression. They have been shown to exert important effects at nearly every stage of tumor progression with a number of studies demonstrating that their presence is critical to tumor development. Novel aspects of neutrophil biology have recently been elucidated and its contribution to tumorigenesis is only beginning to be appreciated. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are neutrophil-derived structures composed of DNA decorated with antimicrobial peptides. They have been shown to trap and kill microorganisms, playing a critical role in host defense. However, their contribution to tumor development and metastasis has recently been demonstrated in a number of studies highlighting NETs as a potentially important therapeutic target. Here, studies implicating NETs as facilitators of tumor progression and metastasis are reviewed. In addition, potential mechanisms by which NETs may exert these effects are explored. Finally, the ability to target NETs therapeutically in human neoplastic disease is highlighted.
authors: LD MacLean Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, jonathan.cools-lartigue@mail.mcgill.ca.
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Cools-Lartigue
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Spicer
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Najmeh
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Ferri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D056649:Cathepsin G / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D018450:Disease Progression; D065206:Extracellular Traps / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D002843:Chromatin; D004247:DNA; D056649:Cathepsin G; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9