Enhanced formation of neutrophil extracellular traps in Kawasaki disease

Neutrophils contribute to the clearance of pathogens through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in a process known as NETosis, but the excessive release of NETs has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including vasculitis, by inducing tissue injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether or not NETosis is enhanced in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD).

After neutrophils isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with KD and healthy control (HC) were cultured in vitro, the degree of spontaneous NETosis was evaluated by measuring the number of NETs formed and the titers of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and neutrophil elastase (NE)-DNA complex.

Spontaneous NET formation in vitro was observed in neutrophils isolated from KD patients, and the number of NET formations was significantly higher in acute KD than in convalescent KD and HC. The increased levels of cfDNA and NE-DNA complexes in the acute phase of KD tended to decrease in the convalescent phase.

Spontaneous NET formation was enhanced in neutrophils from patients with acute KD, suggesting that circulating neutrophils may be primed to undergo NETosis in KD vasculitis.