Neutrophils in multiple sclerosis are characterized by a primed phenotype

Naegele, Matthias; Tillack, Kati; Reinhardt, Stefanie; Schippling, Sven; Martin, Roland; Sospedra, Mireia

doi:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2011.11.009

« Previous Next »Journal of Neuroimmunology
Volume 242, Issue 1 , Pages 60-71, 18 January 2012

Neutrophils in multiple sclerosis are characterized by a primed phenotype

Matthias Naegele
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Clinical MS Research (inims), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, 20251 Hamburg (UKE), Germany
- Equal contribution.
Kati Tillack
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Clinical MS Research (inims), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, 20251 Hamburg (UKE), Germany
- Equal contribution.
Stefanie Reinhardt
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Clinical MS Research (inims), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, 20251 Hamburg (UKE), Germany
Sven Schippling
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Clinical MS Research (inims), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, 20251 Hamburg (UKE), Germany
- Department of Clinical Neuroimmunology and MS Research, Neurology Clinic, University Hospital Zürich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
Roland Martin
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Clinical MS Research (inims), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, 20251 Hamburg (UKE), Germany
- Department of Clinical Neuroimmunology and MS Research, Neurology Clinic, University Hospital Zürich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
Mireia Sospedra
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Clinical MS Research (inims), Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, 20251 Hamburg (UKE), Germany
- Department of Clinical Neuroimmunology and MS Research, Neurology Clinic, University Hospital Zürich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
- Corresponding author at: Department of Clinical Neuroimmunology and MS Research, Neurology Clinic, University Hospital Zürich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26 8091 Zürich Switzerland. Tel.: +41 442551125; fax: +41 442558864.

Received 12 September 2011; received in revised form 16 November 2011; accepted 17 November 2011. published online 12 December 2011.

Abstract

Neutrophils are armed with proteases with indiscriminate histotoxic potential, and to minimize tissue injury, their activation involves priming with inflammatory mediators before cells are fully activated in a second step. Here, we show that neutrophils in multiple sclerosis patients are more numerous and exhibit a primed state based on reduced apoptosis, higher expression of TLR-2, fMLP receptor, IL-8 receptor and CD43, enhanced degranulation and oxidative burst as well as higher levels of neutrophil extracellular traps in serum. The chronic inflammatory environment in multiple sclerosis probably underlies this inappropriate neutrophil priming, which may result in enhanced neutrophil activation during infection.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, Innate immunity, Neutrophils, Priming