Using neutrophils in the blood, researchers have discovered that people with sepsis have never-before-seen particles in their blood count. The scientists are the first to show that these so-called elongated neutrophil structures (ENDS)Break down immune cellsand change shape as they travel through the body. So the team has actually found a new microparticle in the human body that has never been described before
Particles derived from neutrophils in the blood
The published study shows how important it is to understand how immune cells change over the course of a disease. Such structures are not common and cannot be detected in healthy people or mice, according to the study authors. However, ENDS are very elevated in sepsis, and it would not be surprising to see them at such levels in other inflammatory diseases. The discovery of ENDS began with a strange observation. The research team studied neutrophils in the blood, a type of immune cell that moves through the bloodstream and enters tissues to fight infections. At the time, research was underway using laboratory mice to confirm the presence of tubes called tethers. These bands are attached to neutrophils as they move along the blood vessel wall. So, during these experiments, scientists noticed long, thin objects of neutrophil origin stuck to the vessel wall.
Since no such structure had been described in the scientific literature, the team had to find a name for it. The original name of laboratory workers, considered jargon, was “sausages”. This was eventually replaced by the elongated blood neutrophil-derived structures, or ENDS. The team was keen to learn more about these new objects and developed a number of new techniques. The researchers examined how ENDS form and break down in order to detect them in the blood plasma of humans and mice. So, thanks to sophisticated imaging, they found that tethers become ENDS. As neutrophils flop and roll in the blood, their bands become longer and longer. Eventually, the ribbons become so thin that they measure just 150 nanometers (about 1/500 the width of a human hair). Then they break in the middle. Part of the tether remains with the neutrophil, but the broken fragment floats away in the bloodstream, forming an END.
Study results
In fact, the researchers found that the ENDS secretes telltale signaling molecules that promote inflammation. Compared to healthy subjects, the scientific team showed that ENDS are around 100 times more detectable in septic patients. Blood poisoning can occur when the immune system overreacts to an infection by flooding the body with dangerous chemicals. Instead of just fighting the infection, these chemicals cause organ damage as they travel through the bloodstream. The mortality rate from such septic shock is 30 percent. It is theoretically possible that ENDS could one day serve as biomarkers for the early detection of sepsis, but it is currently impossible to detect them in a clinical setting, according to the study authors. Instead of serving as a diagnosis, couldthis researchUnveiling secrets of immune system development.
