Neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps in the liver and gastrointestinal system

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are extracellular structures composed of chromatin coated with histones, proteases and granular and cytosolic proteins that help catch and kill microorganismsKupffer cells and neutrophils in the liver cooperate to eliminate pathogens in circulationNETs have a potential role in gastrointestinal infection and sepsis, whereas several pathogenic bacteria are capable of escaping or hijacking NET-mediated capturing and killingExcess NET formation is associated with the pathology of inflammatory liver and gastrointestinal diseasesExposure to components of NETs might generate autoantibodies in gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases and facilitate the inappropriate immune responseTherapies that target key pathways in NET formation, with or without other treatments, might improve the treatment for gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases, cancer and thrombosis