NETs are a GAS for macrophages

Immunology Neutrophils extrude cellular components such as chromatin in extracellular fibrous structures called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to physically trap and kill microbes. NETs also activate macrophages to produce type I interferon. Apel et al. found that macrophages phagocytosed NETs and the DNA backbone of the NETs stimulated the innate immune sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), leading to type I interferon secretion in vitro. In mice, NETs induced interferon production in a cGAS-dependent manner, suggesting that NET detection by cGAS triggers immune responses during infection. Sci. Signal. 14 , eaax7942 (2021).