Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42517081›Full record

ArticleEXCLI journal2026

Acidic pH promotes degranulation and reduces oxidative stress in human primary neutrophils.

Maximilian Göbel, Yangfan Li, Melike Tombaz, Filiz Sahin, Andreas K Nussler, Sabrina Ehnert

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in EXCLI journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Maximilian GöbelSiegfried Weller Research Institute, BG Unfallklinik Tuebingen, Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 95, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
Yangfan LiSiegfried Weller Research Institute, BG Unfallklinik Tuebingen, Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 95, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
Melike TombazSiegfried Weller Research Institute, BG Unfallklinik Tuebingen, Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 95, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
Filiz SahinSiegfried Weller Research Institute, BG Unfallklinik Tuebingen, Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 95, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
Andreas K NusslerSiegfried Weller Research Institute, BG Unfallklinik Tuebingen, Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 95, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
Sabrina EhnertSiegfried Weller Research Institute, BG Unfallklinik Tuebingen, Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 95, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chronic wounds represent an increasing global health burden for both patients and healthcare systems. These non-healing lesions frequently result in amputation and are particularly prevalent among individuals with diabetes. Hallmarks of chronic wounds include a prolonged inflammatory phase characterized by sustained neutrophil infiltration, excessive formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and an elevated alkaline tissue pH. Emerging evidence suggests a link between pH and wound healing, with acidic conditions being more favorable for tissue repair. Here, we investigated the pH-dependent modulation of primary neutrophil functions, including viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, NET formation, and exocytosis. Neutrophils cultured in media with pH values ranging from 6.1 to 8.4 exhibited no significant differences in viability. In contrast, acidic conditions suppressed ROS production and NET formation in a pH-dependent manner, whereas alkaline conditions caused responses comparable to those observed at physiological pH (7.4). Furthermore, levels of antioxidant enzymes were markedly increased under acidic conditions following phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) stimulation. Notably, alkaline pH promoted granule polarization in neutrophils, thereby impairing exocytosis. In contrast, acidic conditions (pH < 7.0) reduced granule polarization and enhanced the release of granule-associated proteins upon PMA stimulation. Pharmacological inhibition of degranulation confirmed that these effects were mediated by neutrophil exocytosis. In summary, extracellular pH critically modulates neutrophil effector functions and may contribute to the distinct healing dynamics observed in acute versus chronic wounds. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).

Indexed as

degranulationexocytosisneutrophilsoxidative stresspHROSwound healing

Identifiers

PMID42517081
PMCPMC13402789

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.