Lupus‑Induced Inflammation Skews Neutrophil Response, Leaving Patients Susceptible to Bacterial Infections

Lupus patients have an overactive immune system yet remain vulnerable to bacterial infections because chronic inflammation reprograms neutrophils. The study shows that inflammatory molecules lower a protein that lets neutrophils detect bacterial lactate, a cue that normally triggers a potent, antibacterial NET (neutrophil extracellular trap). Instead, neutrophils produce a rapid, less effective NET that spares the cell but fails to kill bacteria efficiently. In lupus‑prone mice, standard lupus drugs corrected these neutrophil defects and reduced bacterial loads in several organs, though survival did not improve. The research highlights that not all NETs are equal and that the type and timing of the neutrophil response matter. Future work will map distinct NET subtypes to determine which are protective or harmful during infection and autoimmunity.