16 - ETosis Pathology and Disease Flashcards
Is the extruded DNA solely from a nuclear source?
Yousefi et al., 2009
- neutrophils primed with GM-CSF and stimulated by TLR-4 and C5a receptors generated extracellular traps comprising mitochondrial DNA
- mitochondrial DNA ROS-dependent, and occurs independently of cell death
NET formation vs NETosis
NET formation:
- mitochondrial DNA
- efficient innate immune response
- supports adaptive tune responses
- rapid resolution of inflammation
NETosis:
- cell rupture and nuclear collapse
- immunopathology
- excessive inflammation
- possible autoimmune responses
What happens in response to pathogens?
- Evidence that neutrophils can detect pathogen size and release traps against larger pathogens, demonstrated by Branzk et al (2014) using fungal cells
- ‘Decision’ regulated by competition for neutrophil elastase (NE)
Neutrophils that meet a microbe too large to be phagocytosed do not form phagosomes - NE released into cytosol without membrane fusion, and is then free to
translocate to the nucleus and drive chromatin decondensation
Does size selection operate in vivo? (Branzk et al, 2014)
- Mice infected via intra-tracheal route with wild-type Candida albicans (able to form yeast and hyphae) and with a C. albicans mutant unable to form hyphae (yeast-locked hgc1Δ )
- Lung tissue showed presence of traps only with wild-type C. albicans
- NETosis induced by small bacteria, but often species whose virulence creates large aggregates and/or interferes with phagosomal killing (e.g. S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria gonorrhoea)
Protection during pregnancy?
- Neutrophils collected from patients with intra-amniotic infection (infection of chorion, amnion, amniotic fluid, placenta, or a combination).
1. Maternal (peripheral blood) samples. - Unstimulated
2. Maternal (peripheral blood) samples. - Stimulated with PMA
3. Amniotic fluid neutrophils. - Unstimulated
- AF neutrophils: assumed to be of foetal origin, but may be mix of maternal/foetal
Pathogen evasion of ETs
- Inhibition of NET formation, e.g., by induction of IL-10 or production of inhibitory factors
- capsule: increases resistance to killing
- secretion of endonuclease
- conversion of NET-derived products into cytotoxic molecules
e.g., S. aureus adenosine synthase (a 5’,3’-nucleotidase) converts NET-derived nucleotides into dAdo, triggering apoptosis in macrophages
Role of lysins in pathogen evasion
- significant NET induction observed with/without pneumolysin
- S. pneumoniae, wild type, +ve pneumolysin
- S. pneumonia, mutant, -ve pneumolysin
What did pneumolysin do to the bacteria?
Pneumolysin reduced quantity of bacteria trapped on the NETs
Diseases/pathologies associated with extracellular traps
Pre-eclampsia, Cystic fibrosis, Gum disease, Thrombosis, Strokes, Pancreatitis, Antherosclerosis, Arthritis, Autoimmunity, Psoriasis, Cancer
What is human preeclampsia?
Severe disorder of late pregnancy, linked to placental abberancies, particularly elevated release of inflammatory syncytiotrophoblast debris
What are the symptoms of pre-eclampsia
Symptoms: hypertension, proteinuria, extreme cases lead to liver/kidney failure, or foetal hypoxia
Pre-eclampsia: in vitro and in vivo
- Known that pre-eclampsia associated with elevated foetal cell-free DNA
- Placenta-derived microparticles (syncytiotrophoblast microparticles: STBM) inducing NET formation in vitro
- In vivo – NETs in close contact with syncytiotrophoblast layer
Syncytiotrophoblast
Epithelial structure of placental villi that invades uterine tissue and determines which substances cross the placenta (e.g., nutrients and oxygen) and which do not (e.g., maternal hormones and certain
toxins)
Tissue sections of placenta from pre-eclampsia
- Normal placenta: NEts present within villi or adjacent to syncytiotrophoblast
- Pre-eclamptic: NEts diffuse throughout intervillous space
What is cystic fibrosis caused by?
Caused by mutations in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene
What does cystic fibrosis code for?
Codes for an anion channel, resulting in altered transcellular chloride and bicarbonate transport
Characteristics of cystic fibrosis
- Disproportionate neutrophil abundance
- NETs abundant at sites of infection
- Thick mucus facilitates microbial lung colonization
- Persistent, neutrophil-rich inflammation
Cystic fibrosis disease research progression
- > 85% CF patients suffer premature mortality through respiratory complications
- Progress slow due to lack of animal models, currently pigs and ferrets being used as both species develop similar lung conditions
Normal lung vs CF lung
NORMAL:
- degranulation
- bacterial killing by phagocytosis
- phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils
- resolution of inflammation
CF LUNG:
- NET formation in response to bacteria
- frustrated inflammation
- possible lung damage from neutrophil contents