"Interfering with neutrophils is an audacious idea. Neutrophils make up some 70% of the white cells in blood, with billions spawned every day by stem cells nestled in the bone marrow. The cells patrol the bloodstream and wage war on pathogens, and their defensive role is so vital that people who lose their neutrophils in the course of cancer treatment can die from infections.
But their scorched-earth tactics are tough on the body. ... For example, the enzyme neutrophil elastase, which neutrophils release to kill invading bacteria, also erodes the extracellular matrix, the mesh of proteins and sugars that cradles cells and provides structural support for tissue."
New drugs aim to disarm the immune system’s ‘atomic bomb’ cells | Science | AAAS
Capturing the beauty of our immune system:
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