Phase specific suppression of neutrophil function in hibernating Syrian hamster

• Published in: Developmental and comparative immunology 2021-06, Vol.119, p.104024-104024, Article 104024
• Main Authors: Reitsema, Vera A., Oosterhof, Marloes M., Henning, Robert H., Bouma, Hjalmar R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute-Phase Proteins - immunology; Animals; Arousal; Arousal - genetics; Arousal - physiology; Carrier Proteins - blood; Carrier Proteins - immunology; Cytokines - immunology; Cytokines - metabolism; Endotoxemia; Gene Expression - immunology; Hamsters; Hibernation; Hibernation - genetics; Hibernation - immunology; Hibernation - physiology; Immune system; Immunity, Innate - genetics; Immunity, Innate - immunology; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunology; Inflammatory diseases; Inflammatory response; Innate immunity; Interleukin 6; Interleukin-6 - immunology; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Lipopolysaccharide Receptors - blood; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors - immunology; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharides; Lipopolysaccharides - immunology; Lipopolysaccharides - metabolism; Membrane Glycoproteins - blood; Membrane Glycoproteins - immunology; Mesocricetus - genetics; Mesocricetus - immunology; Mesocricetus - metabolism; Metabolism; Neutrophils; Neutrophils - immunology; Neutrophils - metabolism; Neutrophils - physiology; NF-kappa B - immunology; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Phagocytosis; Phagocytosis - immunology; Plasma; Respiratory Burst - immunology; Respiratory Burst - physiology; Seasons; Summer; Time Factors; Torpor
• ISSN: 0145-305X; 1879-0089
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104024

Hibernation consists of alternating periods of reduced metabolism (torpor) with brief periods of metabolism similar to summer euthermia (arousal). The function of the innate immune system is reduced during hibernation, of which the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we studied neutrophil functionality during hibernation in Syrian hamsters. The inflammatory response to LPS-induced endotoxemia is inhibited in hibernation, partly mediated by reduced IL-6 production in early arousal. Furthermore, neutrophil pathogen binding, phagocytosis and oxidative burst is profoundly reduced in early arousal. Functionality of both summer and early arousal neutrophils was repressed in plasma from early arousal and mixed plasma from early arousal and summer euthermic, but restored by summer euthermic plasma, signifying that a plasma factor in early arousal inhibits TLR-recognition. Identification of the inhibiting factor may offer a target to modulate neutrophil function with relevance to (auto-)inflammatory diseases. [Display omitted] •The immune response to endotoxin is reduced in the Syrian hamster in winter.•Neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst are profoundly reduced in early arousal.•Neutrophil functionality in early arousal is inhibited by an unknown plasma factor.•Inhibition of pathogen recognition reduced IL-6 in LPS-induced endotoxemia.•Neutrophil functionality is largely restored in late arousal.