Blocking the TRAIL-DR5 Pathway Reduces Cardiac Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury by Decreasing Neutrophil Infiltration and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Formation

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of mortality. Neutrophils penetrate injured heart tissue during AMI or ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury and produce inflammatory factors, chemokines, and extracellular traps that exacerbate heart injury. Inhibition of the TRAIL-DR5 pathway has been demonstrated to alleviate cardiac ischemia–reperfusion injury in a leukocyte-dependent manner. However, it remains unknown whether TRAIL-DR5 signaling is involved in regulating neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) release.

This study used various models to examine the effects of activating the TRAIL-DR5 pathway with soluble mouse TRAIL protein and inhibiting the TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway using DR5 knockout mice or mDR5-Fc fusion protein on NETs formation and cardiac injury. The models used included a co-culture model involving bone marrow-derived neutrophils and primary cardiomyocytes and a model of myocardial I/R in mice.

NETs formation is suppressed by TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway inhibition, which can lessen cardiac I/R injury. This intervention reduces the release of adhesion molecules and chemokines, resulting in decreased neutrophil infiltration and inhibiting NETs production by downregulating PAD4 in neutrophils.

This work clarifies how the TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway regulates the neutrophil response during myocardial I/R damage, thereby providing a scientific basis for therapeutic intervention targeting the TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway in myocardial infarction.