The role of extracellular DNA in neutrophil extracellular traps
Date
2013-09-25
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Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and the primary pathogen in lung infections in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Neutrophils are recruited to the site of infection to clear the invading bacteria by phagocytosis and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation. NETs are composed of an extracellular lattice of genomic DNA enmeshed with various antimicrobial components normally found within the neutrophil. NETs trap and kill bacteria; however, the killing attributes of NETs are poorly understood. Here we show that the DNA is an important antimicrobial component of NETs. P. aeruginosa senses and responds to DNA in NETs by inducing genes required to survive NET killing. P. aeruginosa uses various surface modifications for NET resistance and secreted enzymes to degrade and neutralize NETs. These defensive strategies promote survival during neutrophil encounters and illustrate a dynamic example of innate immune evasion by P. aeruginosa.
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Sciences, Microbiology
Citation
Halverson, T. W. (2013). The role of extracellular DNA in neutrophil extracellular traps (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28324