Neutrophil Function Impairment Is a Host Susceptibility Factor to Bacterial Infection in Diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent noncommunicable disease globally. One of the main complications of diabetes is the increased susceptibility to bacterial infection. Neutrophils play a crucial role in inflammatory response against bacterial infections, once they are the first cells recruited to the sites of injury. In diabetes, there is a failure in the neutrophil functions, including migration, ROS production, phagocytosis, and bacterial killing, which are associated with the high incidence of bacterial infections. Herein, we point out pieces of evidence revealing the primary molecular mechanisms involved with impairment of neutrophil functions in diabetes, with relationship with high susceptibility to bacterial infections.