Novel role of DNA in neutrophil extracellular traps

Christoph Georg Baums; Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2015.04.003

Novel role of DNA in neutrophil extracellular traps

Trends Microbiol. 2015 Jun;23(6):330-1. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.04.003. Epub 2015 Apr 23.

Authors

Christoph Georg Baums¹, Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede²

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Bacteriology and Mycology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
² Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: mkoeckbl@tiho-hannover.de.

PMID: 25913613
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.04.003

Abstract

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been shown to play a crucial role in health and disease. In a recent paper in PLoS Pathogens, Halverson et al. demonstrate that the DNA backbone of NETs contributes to its antibacterial activity and serves as signal for entrapped microbes to employ immune evasion strategies.

Keywords: DNA; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus; antimicrobial activity; neutrophils.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
DNA / pharmacology*
Extracellular Traps / genetics*
Humans
Neutrophils / immunology*

Substances

Anti-Infective Agents
DNA