Role of macrophage extracellular traps in infectious diseases

Macrophage extracellular traps (METs) are newly discovered mechanism of immune system. Like neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), their role in infectious diseases has not been fully elucidated. METs participate in host defense by releasing components such as DNA, histones, and antimicrobial proteins; However, their excessive or abnormal activation may exacerbate inflammatory responses and cause tissue damage. This article reviews the biological characteristics of METs, their activation pathways, and their potential mechanism of action in infectious diseases of various systems. It also explores METs- targeted therapeutic strategies, such as inhibiting METs formation or promoting their clearance to alleviate inflammatory responses, aiming to provide new theoretical basis and potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of infectious diseases.