Inhibition of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Formation by Cl-Amidine Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Endometritis and Uterine Tissue Damage

DNase I rescues goat sperm entrapped by neutrophil extracellular traps

Artificial insemination has been a predominant technique employed in goat husbandry for breeding purposes. Subsequent to artificial insemination, sperm can elicit inflammation in the reproductive tract, resulting in substantial the accumulation of neutrophils. Recognized as foreign entities, sperm may become entrapped within neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) released by neutrophils, thereby exploiting their properties of pathogen elimination. Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I), which is known for disintegrating NETs and causing loss of function, has been utilized to ameliorate liver and brain damage resulting from NETs, as well as to enhance sperm quality. This study investigated the mechanism of sperm-induced NETs and further explored the impact of DNase I on NETs. Sperm quality was evaluated using optical microscopy, while the structure of NETs was observed through immunofluorescence staining. The formation mechanism of NETs was examined using inhibitors and PicoGreen. The findings revealed that sperm induced the formation of NETs, a process regulated by glycolysis, NADPH oxidase, ERK1/2, and p38 signaling pathways. The composition of NETs encompassed DNA, citrullinated histone H3 (citH3), and elastase (NE). DNase I protects sperm by degrading NETs, thereby concurrently preserving the integrity of plasma membrane and motility of sperm. In summary, the release of sperm-induced NETs leads to its damage, but this detrimental effect is counteracted by DNase I through degradation of NETs. These observations provide novel insights into reproductive immunity in goats.

Stroke emboli from patients with atrial fibrillation enriched with neutrophil extracellular traps

Background

Recent literature has demonstrated remarkable heterogeneity in the composition of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) emboli, which may impact susceptibility to therapy.

Objectives

In this study, we explored differences in proteomic composition of retrieved embolic material from patients with stroke with and without atrial fibrillation (AF) (AF+ and AF-, respectively).

Methods

The full proteome of retrieved thromboembolic material from 24 patients with AIS was obtained by mass spectrometry. Known marker proteins were assigned groups representing broad classes of embolus components: red blood cells, platelets, neutrophils, eosinophils, histones, complement, and other clotting-associated proteins (eg, fibrinogen). Relative protein abundances were compared between AF+ and AF- samples. Functional implications of differences were explored with gene set enrichment analysis and Gene Ontology enrichment analysis and visualization tool.

Results

One hundred sixty-six proteins were differentially expressed between AF+ and AF- specimens. Eight out of the 15 neutrophil proteins (P < .05; fold change, >2) and 4 of the 14 histone proteins were significantly enriched in AF+ emboli (P < .05; fold change, >2). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed a significant representation of proteins from published neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) proteomic gene sets. The most significantly represented functional Gene Ontology pathways in patients with AF involved neutrophil activation and degranulation (P < 1 × 10-7).

Conclusion

The present analysis suggests enrichment of NETs in emboli of patients with stroke and AF. NETs are a significant though understudied structural component of thrombi. This work suggests not only unique stroke biology in AF but also potential therapeutic targets for AIS in this population.

MiR-495-3p attenuates cell pyroptosis and endometritis through inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in bovine

miR-495 is aberrantly expressed and affects the progression of inflammation in various diseases. However, the mechanisms of miR-495 in bovine endometritis remain largely unknown. This study investigated the mechanism of miR-495 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bovine endometritis and pyroptosis and found that miR-495 inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation and inflammatory immune responses in endometritis tissue and cell models. Bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BENDs) were treated with 10 μg/mL LPS to establish a cell inflammatory model. LPS stimulation activated the NLRP3 inflammasome and elevated the expression of proinflammatory factors in BEND cells. In addition, pyroptosis and methylation-dependent inhibition of miR-495 was discovered in LPS-exposed BENDs. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-495 inhibited activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro and vivo. Collectively, our data demonstrate that miR-495 can attenuate activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome to protect against pyroptosis and bovine endometritis, which provides novel therapeutic targets for bovine endometritis and other inflammatory diseases.

Neutrophil extracellular traps primed intercellular communication in cancer progression as a promising therapeutic target

In addition to the anti-infection response, neutrophils are linked to tumor progression through the secretion of inflammation components and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation. NET is a web-like structure constituted by a chromatin scaffold coated with specific nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins, such as histone and granule peptides. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that NETs are favorable factors to promote tumor growth, invasion, migration, and immunosuppression. However, the cell-cell interaction between NETs and other cells (tumor cells and immune cells) is complicated and poorly studied. This work is the first review to focus on the intercellular communication mediated by NETs in cancer. We summarized the complex cell-cell interaction between NETs and other cells in the tumor microenvironment. We also address the significance of NETs as both prognostic/predictive biomarkers and molecular targets for cancer therapy. Moreover, we presented a comprehensive landscape of cancer immunity, improving the therapeutic efficacy for advanced cancer in the future.