Neutrophils - protect against infection

Neutrophils and neutrophilic granulocytes - a kind granulotsiratnyh leukocytes, or white blood cells, which are known to protect the body from various diseases. Neutrophils are struggling to enter the body by bacteria, fungi and other potentially harmful microorganisms. They also play an important role in a process known as proteolysis, during which cleaves proteins.

Causes of elevated levels of neutrophils

One reason for the increase of the level of neutrophils in the blood can become eclampsia - a rare, serious complication of pregnancy in which a woman may experience convulsions (involuntary muscle contractions), a sharp increase in blood pressure Blood pressure - dangerous if his swing?   and loss of consciousness. If signs of eclampsia should immediately seek medical help as it can be dangerous for both mother and unborn child.

Another possible reason for the increased level of neutrophils is a cancer, particularly - metastatic.

Hemolytic anemia can also lead to increased levels of neutrophils in the blood. It is a disorder in which there is a premature destruction of red blood cells.

Some medications can cause increased levels of neutrophils, the most common of them - corticosteroids and lithium.

The reasons for low levels of neutrophils

The reasons for lowering the level of neutrophils in the blood can become leukemia and its predecessor state - preleykemiya. The same result can lead myelofibrosis - a disorder in which bone marrow tissue replaced by connective tissue.

Damage to the bone marrow - is another possible reason for the decrease in the level of neutrophils. The causes of such damage can be infections, medications, exposure to ionizing radiation (such as during cancer therapy).

In some autoimmune diseases Autoimmune diseases - when the body attacks itself Such as systemic lupus erythematosus, the body may produce antibodies to neutrophils. When such violations of the body destroys its own as neutrophils, and their level is significantly reduced.

Deficiency of vitamin B12 or folic acid can also cause a decrease in the level of neutrophils.

Contact neutrophils to the development and spread of cancer

Neutrophils - a kind of leukocytes which are normally not only are the first line of defense against a variety of infections, but also promote the formation of new blood vessels in healthy tissue. Scientists have recently discovered that neutrophils can induce the formation of blood vessels in malignant tumors, as well as contribute to the spread of cancer cells on the new vessels. Were also found some of the mechanisms underlying this process - in the correct use of certain drugs can be stopped, and thus slow down or stop the progression of the disease.

Neutrophils are particularly interested researchers in part because several studies have shown a relationship between elevated levels of neutrophils and tumor spread to different areas of the body in patients with cancer. In addition, more and more data indicate that neutrophils play a particularly important role in the early stages of tumor development. Thus, the researchers concluded that during tumor growth, neutrophils are the first kind of inflammatory cells that are in the wrong place, where starts growing malignancy.

Of particular interest is the ability of neutrophils caused scientists to stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, or their angiogenic properties. These properties are required neutrophils they produce a special enzyme, which is called matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). This enzyme is synthesized, and many other types of white blood cells, and it has long been associated with the development of cancerous tumors. However, the shape of MMP9, which generates neutrophils apparently possesses a particularly strong effect, and moreover, it is not constrained by the natural action of inhibitory substances that produce other cells to control various processes in the body.

While other types of leukocytes produce active enzyme only after some time after the initiation of an inflammatory process and is always - in conjunction with one of the natural inhibitors, neutrophils "arriving" to the source of inflammation, already having left advance synthesized MMP9 though inhibitors have they lack.

In several experiments, the scientists were able to identify a link between neutrophils, their MMP9 as well as the growth and spread of cancer. The researchers alternately raised and lowered the number of neutrophils coming to two different types of tumors in the early stages of development - they transplanted into chicken embryos and mice. The experiment used several kinds of enzyme, sometimes - in combination with inhibitory agents, sometimes - without them.

Watching both accelerate and slow down the formation of new blood vessels, the researchers came to the conclusion that the kind of the enzyme MMP9, which is produced by neutrophils, is directly related to the rapid increase in the number of blood vessels in tumors. No less important is the discovery made by another - formed with the participation of neutrophils blood vessels are the channels through which cancer cells begin to spread to other parts of the body.

The researchers found that the most aggressive tumors - that is, those that are able to grow most rapidly in the surrounding tissue and hit remote areas of the body - are different, among other things, that attract the largest number of neutrophils.

During the experiments, the researchers also tried to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels in a relatively non-aggressive tumors - it introduces more enzymes secreted by neutrophils. In addition, they tried to block the formation of new blood vessels using the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen Ibuprofen: anti-inflammatory drug And then reduced angiogenesis by introducing enzymes. Scientists have also sharply reduced the influx of neutrophils by neutralizing interleukin-8 - a chemical that is responsible for the attraction of neutrophils to the site of inflammation. In consequence, the rate of formation of blood vessels was significantly reduced, and greatly limits the spread of cancer cells to other areas of the body. These results establish a link between neutrophils, as well as the development and spread of two different, highly aggressive forms of cancer. To verify the findings, researchers again increases the flow to tumors enzymes produced by neutrophils whereby blood vessels begin to form more quickly.

Thus, the researchers concluded that limiting the influx of neutrophils to tumors can be slowed down or completely stop angiogenesis, and with it, and metastasis. In other words, by acting on neutrophils, it can significantly reduce the aggressiveness of the tumor.

Conduct experiments, scientists have noted that promote the formation of blood vessels in malignant tumors only MMP9, whose activity is not limited to inhibitors. In the study of enzyme action in combination with inhibitory agents such effect was observed.

These studies help to better understand the development of cancer. On the basis of discoveries made in the relatively near future can be developed new drugs to treat cancer Cancer Treatment - difficult, but necessary   in the early stages. Scientists suggest that the tumor, causing strong inflammatory response in the early stages of development can be particularly well resist treatment with drugs that affect neutrophils - they can either inhibit the action of the enzyme MMP9, and just limit the influx of neutrophils to tumors. Limit angiogenesis sooner rather than later, and today experts say that the most effective for this is no ordinary anti-inflammatory drugs and agents that target directly on neutrophils. When such drugs will be available to a wide range of patients is still unknown.