An international team of researchers has created an atlas of neutrophils — the most abundant type of white blood cell in humans — that has revealed associations between gene activity and the risks of cancer, metabolic disorders and death. The findings were published in the journal Nature Immunology.
The SCAHN atlas combines data on approximately one million neutrophils from 43 datasets comprising 781 samples. The researchers studied cells from different tissues, including blood, bone marrow, lungs, liver and spleen, as well as from healthy individuals and patients with infections, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and various types of cancer.
The analysis showed that neutrophils differ in their levels of maturity and immune activity. Certain genetic profiles were associated with more severe cases of COVID-19 and bacterial sepsis, as well as higher mortality. Others, particularly profiles associated with the CD74 gene, correlated with more favorable outcomes.
The researchers also found associations between specific neutrophil genetic profiles and poorer metabolic health, diabetes risk and all-cause mortality. In an analysis of data from cancer patients, some inflammatory cell profiles were associated with shorter survival, while others correlated with a more favorable prognosis.
An additional analysis of electronic health records from more than 430,000 patients showed that higher neutrophil counts may be associated with an increased risk of certain chronic diseases and death, even when blood counts remain within the normal range.
The authors emphasize that the findings do not yet support the use of the atlas for individual disease risk prediction in clinical practice.
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