Gilberto Curlango-Rivera, Yolanda Flores-Lara, Ihnbae Cho, David A Huskey, Zhongguo Xiong and Martha C Hawes
Newly characterized defence processes based on extracellular DNA-based trapping in mammals point to new targets for control of diseases ranging from lupus to sepsis to cancer. Emerging evidence that this is an ancient underpinning of immune systems includes the observation that DNA-based extracellular traps also operate in plants. Potential clinical applications include the use of plant metabolites as signals to modulate plant and animal extracellular trapping responses.