Red blood cells are the most abundant cell in the human body and have tremendous potential to modulate immune function. While other enucleate cells such as platelets are known to play a vital role in innate immunity and immunothrombosis, astonishingly little is known about RBC immune function. My labs primary, overarching long-term objective is to define RBC immunomodulatory functions that may alter the immune response to pathogens and sterile injury. We recently found that RBCs function as DNA scavengers by expressing the nucleic acid sensing-toll-like receptor, TLR9. In addition, our new data demonstrate the presence of another nucleic acid-sensing TLR, TLR7, on mammalian RBCs. Collectively our data indicate that RBCs function as nucleic acid sensors. These findings challenge the long-standing belief that RBCs lack immune function and may elucidate novel diagnostic approaches and therapeutic targets for inflammatory syndromes.
Support or Funding Information
NIH grant R01 HL126788 (to N.S.M.) , the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program under award no. W81XWH-15-1-0363 (to N.S.M.), Penn Center for Precision Medicine.
NIH grant R01 HL126788 (to N.S.M.) , the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program under award no.lt;brgt;W81XWH-15-1-0363 (to N.S.M.), Penn Center for Precision Medicine.amp;nbsp;
