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Preterm ETs Are Significantly Reduced Compared with Adults and Partially Reduced Compared with Term Infants

Aila Wirkner1, Antje Vogelgesang2, Ines Hegge1

  • 1Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 27, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Preterm infants show reduced extracellular trap (ET) formation by neutrophils and monocytes, crucial components of the innate immune system. This impacts their defense capabilities compared to adults.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Neonatal Research
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Extracellular traps (ETs), including neutrophil ETs (NETs) and monocyte ETs (METs), are DNA-based structures released by immune cells as a defense mechanism.
  • Neutrophil ET formation is known to be reduced in term infants compared to adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify NET and MET release, along with key enzymes myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil elastase (NE), in preterm infants.
  • To compare ET formation in preterm infants with term infants and adults.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective explorative study involving preterm infants (n=55, 23-36 weeks), term infants, and adults.
  • ET induction using fMLP, PMA, LPS, and LTA.
  • Quantification of METs by microscopy and NETs by microscopy and flow cytometry.
  • Measurement of MPO within NETs and intracellular NE and MPO concentrations.

Main Results:

  • Preterm infants exhibited a significantly reduced percentage of neutrophils releasing ETs compared to adults across all stimulants.
  • A further 68% reduction in ET release was observed in preterm infants stimulated with PMA compared to term infants.
  • The amount of MPO in NET-producing cells was lower in preterm infants than in term infants.
  • Preterm infants showed a reduced percentage of monocytes releasing ETs compared to adults upon LTA and LPS stimulation.

Conclusions:

  • Extracellular traps are present in preterm infants, forming a measurable part of their innate immune system.
  • However, the percentage of immune cells capable of releasing ETs is significantly reduced in preterm infants compared to adults.

Keywords:
extracellular trapsmonocytesneutrophilspreterm infant

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