Prospects of neutrophilic implications against pathobiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Pharmacological insights and technological advances

Int Immunopharmacol. 2025 Jan 10:144:113634. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.113634. Epub 2024 Nov 21.

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent chronic inflammatory condition that affects the lungs globally. A key feature of this inflammatory response is the migration and aggregation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). The presence of neutrophilic inflammation within the airways is as distinguishing characteristic of COPD. As research advances, PMNs and their products emerge as central players in the airway inflammatory cascade of COPD patients. Their involvement in phagocytosis, degranulation, and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of COPD. Moreover, studies have shown that excessive biological activities of neutrophils in the lungs can result in airway epithelial injury, emphysema, and mucus hypersecretion. Currently, there is growing empirical support for the moderate targeting neutrophils in the clinical management of COPD. This article delves into the pivotal role of neutrophils in COPD, emphasizing the urgency for novel therapeutic approaches that specifically target neutrophils. Additionally, it explores the potential of utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing to further investigate neutrophils and relevant risk genes as potential biomarkers for COPD treatment. By elucidating these mechanisms, this review aims to pave the way for future strategies to modulate neutrophil function, thereby addressing the pressing need for more effective COPD therapies.

Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Novel therapeutic biomarkers; Polymorphonuclear neutrophils; single-cell RNA sequencing.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Extracellular Traps* / drug effects
  • Extracellular Traps* / immunology
  • Humans
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Neutrophils* / drug effects
  • Neutrophils* / immunology
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / drug therapy
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / immunology