Immune Cells Use DNA Netting as Line of Defense Against Invaders

Normally, immune cells called neutrophils attack microbes (invaders) by releasing toxic chemicals and/or by "eating" (gobbling up) the microbes.  Sometimes, these mechanisms do not work to stop invaders from entering, so the next attack mechanism the immune cells use is spitting out a netting of DNA containing antimicrobial components to trap the invaders. DNA is very compact and coiled tightly.  When it is uncoiled, it becomes a big sticky net, which is a very good defense.  The netting can wrap itself around small blood vessels, allowing the immune cell to grip and kill the bacteria.  The netting itself is very useful in the blood stream because without this mechanism the immune cells would not be able to catch bacteria.  The use of DNA netting in the blood stream entangles the bacteria and they are killed.

This recently discovered mechanism of defense against invading microbial cells has been seen in the human body, specifically in the lungs of patients with Aspergillus fungal infections.  This fungi appears in the lungs of patients with weakened immune systems and/or lungs.   Neutrophils are not large enough to gobble up this fungi successfully, but the use of DNA netting delivers concentrated doses of toxins to destroy the fungi.  The downside to this mechanism of immune cells spewing out DNA netting to entrap microbe invaders, is that it can entrap cancer cells in the blood stream, spreading and implanting the cancer cells into nearby tissues.

Aspergillus fungi has been recently researched in mice. It has been observed that one strain of the Aspergillus repels the netting of the neutrophil DNA.  The rejection of the netting is due to a sugary coating on this particular strain of fungi.

Many people think DNA has one usage; to be a carrier of hereditary genes and sequencing.  This article articulates that DNA has a very important job in the body as a defense mechanism in immune cells.  This defense has a consequence of implanting cancer cells into tissue, but I think the good out-weighs the bad.  Also, in the fungal strain of Aspergillus that repels against the interaction of the DNA netting, it is possible that drugs can be developed in order to break down the sugary coat the blocks the interaction.  DNA in immune cells are essential to humans and helps minimize disease and attacks in the immune system.