Fig. 4: The activation and function of NETs in periodontitis.
From: Neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps in oral health and disease
In periodontitis, NET formation can be triggered by oral microbes. Furthermore, the engagement of neutrophils with extravascular fibrin within mucosal tissues has been shown to potentiate NET formation. NET formation can trigger periodontitis in multiple ways through the inflammatory actions of extracellular histones, reactive superoxide species (ROS) and the release of proteolytic enzymes, all of which are capable of mediating cell lysis; NET formation can also trigger periodontitis via the engagement of known pathways linked to the pathogenesis of periodontitis.
