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International Journal Of Molecular Sciences

Publication date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 22
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

Author:

Cockx, Maaike
Blanter, Marfa ; Gouwy, Mieke ; Ruytinx, Pieter ; Salama, Sara Abouelasrar ; Knoops, Sofie ; Poertner, Noemie ; Vanbrabant, Lotte ; Lorent, Natalie ; Boon, Mieke ; Struyf, Sofie

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Physical Sciences, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Multidisciplinary, Chemistry, primary ciliary dyskinesia, neutrophils, antibacterial activity, OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE, CYSTIC-FIBROSIS, CIRCULATING NEUTROPHILS, CYTOKINE PRODUCTION, IMMUNE-RESPONSES, INFLAMMATION, EXPRESSION, MIGRATION, LUNG, CHEMOTAXIS, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Anti-Infective Agents, Bacteria, Case-Control Studies, Chemotaxis, Child, Child, Preschool, Ciliary Motility Disorders, Cytokines, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neutrophils, Young Adult, C16/17/010#54271312, 11B4621N|11B4623N#55009619, 0399 Other Chemical Sciences, 0604 Genetics, 0699 Other Biological Sciences, Chemical Physics, 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology, 3107 Microbiology, 3404 Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry

Abstract:

The airways of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) contain persistently elevated neutrophil numbers and CXCL8 levels. Despite their abundance, neutrophils fail to clear the airways from bacterial infections. We investigated whether neutrophil functions are altered in patients with PCD. Neutrophils from patients and healthy controls (HC) were isolated from peripheral blood and exposed to various bacterial stimuli or cytokines. Neutrophils from patients with PCD were less responsive to low levels of fMLF in three different chemotaxis assays (p < 0.05), but expression of the fMLF receptors was unaltered. PCD neutrophils showed normal phagocytic function and expression of adhesion molecules. However, PCD neutrophils produced less reactive oxygen species upon stimulation with bacterial products or cytokines compared to HC neutrophils (p < 0.05). Finally, the capacity to release DNA, as observed during neutrophil extracellular trap formation, seemed to be reduced in patients with PCD compared to HC (p = 0.066). These results suggest that peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with PCD, in contrast to those of patients with cystic fibrosis or COPD, do not show features of over-activation, neither on baseline nor after stimulation. If these findings extend to lung-resident neutrophils, the reduced neutrophil activity could possibly contribute to the recurrent respiratory infections in patients with PCD.