The Role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Women with Obesity: A Scoping Review Protocol

Objective: This scoping review aims to explore the available scientific evidence on the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in women with obesity Introduction: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are structures composed of DNA and antimicrobial proteins released by neutrophils that participate in the immune response. In the context of chronic diseases such as obesity, NETs have been associated with processes related to chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Evidence suggests that NETs may contribute to the amplification of inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction associated with obesity. However, the specific role of NETs in women with obesity has not been fully elucidated, despite the biological, hormonal, and immunological differences between sexes that may influence these previously described mechanisms. Eligibility criteria: This review will include studies related to the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (concept) in adult women (participants) with obesity in any degree or clinical setting (context). Studies focusing exclusively on other diseases or including both sexes will be excluded. Methods: This review will follow the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute for scoping reviews and will be reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science will be searched without time restrictions. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts followed by full-text articles according to the eligibility criteria. After data extraction, the results will be presented in tabular, graphical, and narrative formats.