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Comment
. 2019 Sep 17;51(3):413-414.
doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.08.015.

NETched in Stone

Liam J O'Neil  1 , Mariana J Kaplan  2
Affiliations
Comment

NETched in Stone

Liam J O'Neil et al. Immunity. .

Abstract

Gallstone formation in adults is a common, yet incompletely understood disease process. In this issue, Muñoz et al. (2019) report a pathogenic link between neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and the formation of gallstones.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:. DNA from Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) provides a framework for gallstone crystal aggregation.
Gallstone formation within the gallbladder is associated with severe complications in adult patients. Muñoz et al. show that within the gallbladder, cholesterol crystals are engulfed by neutrophils (macropinocytosis). This induces NET formation that is dependent on peptidyl arginine deminase-4 (PAD-4) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. ROS generation is critical in the process of NET formation. NETs are made up of strands of DNA which adhere to small stones and act as a scaffold, allowing calcium and cholesterol crystals to aggregate and enlarge the stone. This process continues until stones are large enough to cause pain and other complications.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

  • Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Initiate Gallstone Formation.
    Muñoz LE, Boeltz S, Bilyy R, Schauer C, Mahajan A, Widulin N, Grüneboom A, Herrmann I, Boada E, Rauh M, Krenn V, Biermann MHC, Podolska MJ, Hahn J, Knopf J, Maueröder C, Paryzhak S, Dumych T, Zhao Y, Neurath MF, Hoffmann MH, Fuchs TA, Leppkes M, Schett G, Herrmann M. Muñoz LE, et al. Immunity. 2019 Sep 17;51(3):443-450.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.07.002. Epub 2019 Aug 15. Immunity. 2019. PMID: 31422870

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