NETosis Antibody Sampler Kit #90144

NETosis is a unique form of regulated cell death that is characterized by membrane rupture and the extrusion of chromatin, histones, and granular and cytoplasmic components into a web-like structure called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) (reviewed in 1). NETosis has been associated with host defense to pathogens as well as a number of disease states, including autoimmune diseases, thrombosis, cardiovascular diseases, and tumor progression. NETosis was identified as a response to bacterial infection and can be activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as well as inflammatory pathway activators like phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) (2). It can occur via multiple pathways, but several key players have emerged. The calcium-dependent enzyme protein-arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) catalyzes hypercitrullination of histones that contributes to chromatin decondensation (3,4). In addition, activation of proteases, including neutrophil elastase (ELANE), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and Cathepsin G, leads to impairment of cytoskeletal structures and degradation of histones during NETosis (5,6).