Capsules of virulent pneumococcal serotypes enhance formation of neutrophil extracellular traps during in vivo pathogenesis of pneumonia.

ABSTRACT: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are released by activated neutrophils to ensnare and kill microorganisms. NETs have been implicated in tissue injury since they carry cytotoxic components of the activated neutrophils. We have previously demonstrated the generation of NETs in infected murine lungs during both primary pneumococcal pneumonia and secondary pneumococcal pneumonia after primary influenza. In this study, we assessed the correlation of pneumococcal capsule size with pulmonary NETs formation and disease severity. We compared NETs formation in the lungs of mice infected with three pneumococcal strains of varying virulence namely serotypes 3, 4 and 19F, as well as a capsule-deficient mutant of serotype 4. In primary pneumonia, NETs generation was strongly associated with the pne

SUBMITTER: Moorthy AN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4991386 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature