What is it about?
This study presents a novel approach for detecting and quantifying neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are increasingly recognized for their involvement in various pathologies, including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Despite the growing scientific interest in NETs, no universal standard exists for their detection and quantification. This study proposes circulating H3.1-nucleosomes as biomarkers for NET detection in clinical plasma samples. In this paper, we confirmed the presence of H3.1-nucleosomes in in vitro NET models and described the development of the Nu.Q® H3.1 to quantify these biomarkers in plasma. This assay is fully automated, analytically validated, and demonstrates excellent sensitivity, precision, linearity, and reproducibility. The study further highlights the assay’s potential as a diagnostic tool by comparing plasma samples from patients with NET-associated diseases to those from healthy donors.
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Why is it important?
The scientific community has been increasingly focusing on NETs due to their involvement in various diseases, and therefore their potential as therapeutic targets. However, a major limitation in the field is the lack of a universal standard for detecting and quantifying circulating NETs. Current methods suffer from technical limitations, making them less suitable for routine clinical applications. This study addresses this gap by presenting a novel, analytically validated assay for detecting NET-derived H3.1-nucleosomes in plasma. The ability to reliably measure NETs is essential for understanding their role in disease mechanisms, diagnosing NET-associated conditions, and monitoring treatment responses in such diseases. The proposed immunoassay offers a promising solution to these challenges, potentially establishing a new benchmark for NET quantification in clinical research and practice.
Perspectives
The Nu.Q® H3.1 assay's ability to accurately quantify NETs in plasma could facilitate early disease detection, improve patient stratification, and enable personalized treatment strategies in NETs-related pathologies. Ultimately, this work contributes to the development of standardized diagnostic tools, fostering better disease management and advancing the understanding of NETs' pathological significance.
Louise Batchelor
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Quantification of H3.1-nucleosomes using a chemiluminescent immunoassay: A reliable method for neutrophil extracellular trap detection, PLOS One, August 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329352.
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