A better model for neutrophil-related diseases

Neutrophils are critical immune cells for antimicrobial defense, but they can exacerbate a number of diseases, perhaps including COVID-19. The traditional approaches to study neutrophils in animal models are limited in specificity and effectiveness. EPFL scientists have now identified the problem and have developed a new, optimized model for studying the role of neutrophils in the context of disease. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, researchers are turning their attention to the virus' biology, mechanism of action, and possible treatments. One of the targets are a group of immune cells called "neutrophils", which have been reported to infiltrate the respiratory tract of patients who have died from COVID-19. The idea is that in their attempt to attack the virus, neutrophils might be making the disease's symptoms even worse by invading the lungs and exacerbating inflammation there. In order to find out if this is actually the case, scientists may use a mouse model whose neutrophils they deplete with "anti-neutrophil" antibodies.