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Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Respiratory Disease
Practical Solutions and Value
- Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play a crucial role in the initial immune response to infection but can also contribute to tissue damage due to their highly inflammatory nature.
- NETs are particularly relevant to lung diseases, and their presence has been demonstrated in conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, asthma, pneumonia, COVID-19, and lung cancer.
- Diagnostic tests need to differentiate NETs from other inflammatory pathways and causes of cell death characterized by extracellular DNA.
- Targeting the NET pathway with appropriate therapeutics may offer significant clinical benefits, although current clinical trials and evidence are in early stages.
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