Molecular Basis for Paradoxical Activities of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils in Inflammation/Anti-Inflammation, Bactericide/Autoimmunity, Pro-Cancer/Anticancer, and Antiviral Infection/SARS-CoV-II-Induced Immunothrombotic Dysregulation
Tsai-Hung Wu,
Song-Chou Hsieh,
Tsu-Hao Li,
Cheng-Hsun Lu,
Hsien-Tzung Liao,
Chieh-Yu Shen,
Ko-Jen Li,
Cheng-Han Wu,
Yu-Min Kuo,
Chang-Youh Tsai,
Chia-Li Yu
Affiliations
Tsai-Hung Wu
Division of Nephrology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
Song-Chou Hsieh
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
Tsu-Hao Li
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Shin Kong Wu Ho Shi Hospital, Taipei 11101, Taiwan
Cheng-Hsun Lu
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
Hsien-Tzung Liao
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
Chieh-Yu Shen
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
Ko-Jen Li
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
Cheng-Han Wu
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
Yu-Min Kuo
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
Chang-Youh Tsai
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
Chia-Li Yu
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) are the most abundant white blood cells in the circulation. These cells act as the fast and powerful defenders against environmental pathogenic microbes to protect the body. In addition, these innate inflammatory cells can produce a number of cytokines/chemokines/growth factors for actively participating in the immune network and immune homeostasis. Many novel biological functions including mitogen-induced cell-mediated cytotoxicity (MICC) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), exocytosis of microvesicles (ectosomes and exosomes), trogocytosis (plasma membrane exchange) and release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been successively discovered. Furthermore, recent investigations unveiled that PMNs act as a double-edged sword to exhibit paradoxical activities on pro-inflammation/anti-inflammation, antibacteria/autoimmunity, pro-cancer/anticancer, antiviral infection/COVID-19-induced immunothrombotic dysregulation. The NETs released from PMNs are believed to play a pivotal role in these paradoxical activities, especially in the cytokine storm and immunothrombotic dysregulation in the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In this review, we would like to discuss in detail the molecular basis for these strange activities of PMNs.
