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. 2019 May 31;40(7):565–583. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2019.04.012

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Neutrophil Populations in Infections/Inflammation.

Humans: density gradient centrifugation of blood from patients with acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, including sepsis or infection, leads to the detection of heterogeneous populations of low-density neutrophils (LDNs) within the mononuclear cell fraction, in addition to normal-density neutrophils (NDNs) (Box 1) [54]. Depending on the study, some of these heterogeneous LDNs have been shown to display immunosuppressive properties – termed LDNs/polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) – whereas other LDNs have been shown to display either proinflammatory or so far undefined functions 8., 54.. In addition, populations of mature activated suppressive neutrophils can be present in both the LDN and NDN fractions 63., 72., or can be obtained by red blood cell lysis without performing density gradient centrifugation [73]. Mice: as observed in humans, pathogen infections of different types may induce the appearance of immature PMN-MDSCs with immunosuppressive functions in the circulation (LDNs/PMN-MDSCs) and infected tissues (PMN-MDSCs) 85., 86., 87., 88., 94.. In Staphylococcus aureus or Candida albicans models of infection, two subpopulations of neutrophils with opposite functions (proinflammatory, CD11b⁻CD49d⁺IL-12⁺; anti-inflammatory, CD11b⁺CD49d⁻IL-10⁺) have been identified [84]. Neutrophils with antigen-presenting activities (APC-like neutrophils) are generated during infection. After encountering pathogens in the tissue, a subpopulation of CD11b^highCD62L^lowC-X-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CXCR2)^low neutrophils can migrate to the lymph node to promote adaptive immunity [91]. Populations of APC-like neutrophil–DC hybrids have also been identified in different mouse models of infection 92., 93.. Moreover, after infection or sterile injury, CD54⁺ neutrophils can retro-transmigrate from the affected tissue to the bloodstream, exerting deleterious actions on secondary organs but also exhibiting an enhanced ability to fight pathogens [95]. Abbreviations: APC, antigen-presenting cell; DC, dendritic cell.