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The role of neutrophils in tissue localized cell-mediated immunologic responses: I. The intensity of contact-type and delayed-type hypersensitivity responses may be influenced by the extent of extracellular matrix degradation by neutrophil proteases.

Studies were undertaken to evaluate factors capable of influencing the intensity of contact hypersensitivity (CH) and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses in mice. It is well known that the exposure of animals to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) causes a depression of CH and DTH responses whereas the injection of mice with nanogram quantities of pertussis toxin (PT) before sensitization results in greatly augmented CH responses following hapten challenge. Histopathology and biochemical quantitation of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in biopsies obtained from the challenged ears from normal, UVR-exposed, or PT-treated animals determined that a direct correlation existed between the intensity of the ear-swelling response and the degree of neutrophil infiltrate into the challenge site. Few neutrophils were observed to infiltrate into the ears of UVR-exposed animals when compared to normal animals, whereas a pronounced neutrophil infiltration was observed in the challenged ears of PT-pretreated animals. These observations led us to question whether tissue-infiltrating neutrophils, or their products, might be involved in controlling the intensity of CH and DTH responses. The direct injection of murine neutrophils, neutrophil homogenates, and a neutrophil granular fraction into the ear pinnae of normal mice resulted in a dosage-dependent ear-swelling reaction after 24 hours that was histologically similar to antigen-induced CH or DTH responses (primarily mononuclear cell infiltrate). Additional studies determined that an injection of elastase, collagenase, or peptides of elastin or collagen generated by elastase or collagenase treatment of insoluble elastin or collagen also caused a pronounced ear-swelling accompanied by a mononuclear cell infiltration. On the basis of these studies, coupled to experiments that demonstrated an inhibitory influence of alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) on CH and DTH responses, we propose that neutrophil proteases may play an important role in regulating the intensity of CH and DTH responses in mice through their capacity to degrade extracellular matrix proteins whose peptide fragments are chemotactic for mononuclear cells and fibroblasts.

Animals↗

Interaction of neutrophils with vascular smooth muscle: identification of a neutrophil-derived relaxing factor.

Experiments were designed to study the interaction of rat peritoneal neutrophils with the vascular smooth muscle of the rat aorta. Rings of aorta, suspended in 10-ml organ chambers containing a physiologic salt solution, were precontracted with phenylephrine. Neutrophils (1 X 10(5) -4 X 10(7) cells/organ chamber) caused a cell number-dependent relaxation of the rat aorta that was augmented by superoxide dismutase (100 U/ml) or changing the oxygen content from 95 to 21%. The neutrophil-induced smooth muscle relaxation occurred in rings with and without endothelium and in rings precontracted with increasing concentrations of phenylephrine, prostaglandin F2 alpha or KCI. Catalase (1000 U/ml) and mannitol (1 X 10(-3) M) did not block the neutrophil-induced relaxation, whereas phenazine methosulfate (1 X 10(-5) M), hydroquinone (3 X 10(-5) M) and methylene blue (1 X 10(-5) M) reversed the neutrophil-induced relaxation. Pre-exposure of endothelium-rubbed rings to neutrophils (2 X 10(7) cells/organ chamber; 15 min) depressed the subsequent concentration-response curve to phenylephrine but augmented the relaxation induced by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast (1 X 10(-5) M). The effluent from a column restraining the neutrophils induced a relaxation of endothelium-rubbed aortic rings that was prevented by methylene blue (1 X 10(-5) M). These results demonstrate that rat neutrophils release a factor that has a pharmacologic profile similar to that previously reported for the relaxing factor released from the vascular endothelium.

Animals↗

Role of stimulated neutrophils from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in disturbed immunoreactivity, with special reference to increased oxygen intermediates generated by the neutrophils.

Zymosan-stimulated neutrophils from 6 patients with untreated, active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), from patients with bacterial infections, and from healthy controls, were studied for production of oxygen intermediates (O-2, H2O2, OH . and chemiluminescence) and lysosomal enzymes. Oxygen intermediate production was highest in neutrophils from active SLE patients, while lysosomal enzyme release was highest in neutrophils from patients with bacterial infections. SLE neutrophils, upon culture with autologous or normal lymphocytes, markedly reduced the number of surviving OKT4+ cells and the proliferative response of the surviving cells to mitogens; a reduction was also observed amongst the surviving lymphocytes in the proportion of total T cells and OKT8+ cells, and in the generation of Con A induced suppressor activity. When superoxide dismutase and catalase were included in the neutrophil-lymphocyte co-cultures, the number of T- and OKT8+ cells, and the suppressor activity were restored but not completely (60-75%), the lymphocyte mitogenic response and number of OKT4+ cells were less well restored (40-50%). When lymphocytes were co-cultured with neutrophils from healthy or infected subjects, there was a mild decrease in mitogenic responses and OKT4+ cells, while the suppressor T-cell activity was markedly enhanced. These results were not affected by scavengers. These results suggest that in SLE, reduced T-lymphocyte subpopulations and altered immunoreactivity may be partially due to excessive production of oxygen intermediates and probably other factors by stimulated neutrophils; these results further suggest that in all the subjects, diseased or healthy, neutrophils generate unidentified factors other than oxygen intermediates that reduce the generation of OKT4+ cells and lymphocyte mitogenic responses, and that potentiate suppressor T-cell activity.

Adolescent↗

A functional comparison of IIIindium-labelled elicited peripheral blood neutrophils and peritoneal neutrophils in the rat.

A functional comparison between elicited peripheral blood neutrophils has been made in vivo and in vitro. Preliminary experiments showed that separation of peripheral blood cells on a metrizamide gradient yielded too few neutrophils for efficient radiolabelling with indium (In): hence a mixed cell preparation comprising 80% neutrophils was elicited in the peripheral blood of adult male rats by the administration of endotoxin (0.25 mg i.a.) and cobra venom factor (200 microliter i.p.) 20 h before. Peritoneal neutrophils were collected 4 h after the i.p. injection of 6 ml thioglycollate. Both populations differed markedly from normal peripheral neutrophils on the in vitro testing of random locomotion, chemotaxis and phagocytosis of Candida. After labelling with IIIIn-tropolonate, a greater proportion (mean = 8%) of peripheral blood cells localized to an E. coli/Freund's complete adjuvant-induced abscess compared with peritoneal neutrophils (mean = 3%). The abscess could be visualized externally by scanning with both cell preparations, but the distribution of activity differed markedly. The greater hepatic sequestration of peritoneal neutrophils suggested cell damage or activation. To overcome the difficulty of harvesting normal peripheral blood neutrophils in the rat, either of these populations can be used to follow the kinetics of inflammation. However, elicited peripheral blood cells yield a higher proportion of responding cells.

Abscess↗

Bridging of neutrophils to target cells by opsonized zymosan enhances the cytotoxicity of neutrophil-produced H2O2.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a well-established cytotoxic agent released by activated neutrophils into the extracellular environment. However, a maximum of only 5 microM H2O2 was detected in the medium when 10(6) neutrophils/ml were activated with opsonized zymosan (OZ), more than 50-fold lower than the concentration of exogenous H2O2 required to produce equivalent killing of a cell line. In addition PMA-activated neutrophils were noncytotoxic, despite the capacity of PMA to generate two- to fourfold as much H2O2 for five times longer. The basis for this discrepancy was explored. NaN3 increased cytotoxicity to >90% only when neutrophils were activated with OZ due in part to inhibition of myeloperoxidase-mediated hydrolysis of H2O2, while catalase completely prevented cytotoxicity of OZ-activated neutrophils. These results indicate that H2O2 was solely responsible for the observed cytotoxicity. OZ-mediated cytotoxicity was prevented by intermittent agitation of the cultures or by the addition of soluble complement receptor type 1, suggesting that a physical association between neutrophils and target cells mediated by OZ was required to generate a cytotoxic environment. Significant numbers of neutrophil-target cell aggregates were observed by microscopic examination only under low hydrodynamic shear conditions. We conclude that the cytotoxic potency of H2O2 produced by neutrophils activated with OZ was due to a localized high concentration of H2O2 to which the target cells were exposed as a result of their labile adherence to OZ. This phenomenon may reflect a mechanism that neutrophils have acquired for maximizing the antimicrobial power of extracellular oxidants toward microbes that escape phagocytotosis.

Catalase↗

Cross-linking of CD18 primes human neutrophils for activation of the respiratory burst in response to specific stimuli: implications for adhesion-dependent physiological responses in neutrophils.

Adhesion is known to prime neutrophils for physiological activation in response to cytokines and other stimuli. We have employed the technique of receptor cross-linking to study the potential role of CD18, the common beta-subunit of the beta 2-integrin family of adhesion molecules, in the regulation of the respiratory burst, as measured by luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence and iodination, in human neutrophils. CD18 cross-linking primed neutrophils to activate the respiratory burst after stimulation with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) (100 units/mL), formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) (1 microM), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (1 micrograms/mL), but not granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (1 micrograms/mL), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) (100 U/mL), or phorbol myristate acetate (100 nM). The maximal rate of chemiluminescence induced by fMLP, TNF-alpha, and GM-CSF was enhanced 8-, 6-, and 1.5-fold, respectively, following CD18 cross-linking. Priming of the respiratory burst by direct engagement of CD18 was confirmed in neutrophil-mediated iodination experiments, where iodination induced by TNF-alpha, fMLP, and GM-CSF was increased 15-, 20-, and 7-fold, respectively, by CD18 cross-linking. Immunoblot experiments demonstrated that TNF-alpha-induced tyrosine phosphorylation was both accelerated and more intense in neutrophils after cross-linking of CD18. Major tyrosine phosphoprotein products include proteins with approximate molecular masses of 40, 70, and 110 kDa. Genistein (50 microM), a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, reduced the TNF-alpha-stimulated respiratory burst by > 80% whether or not CD18 was cross-linked. These results affirm the importance of CD18 in adhesion-dependent priming of neutrophil functions and demonstrate that CD18 engagement per se is sufficient to prime neutrophils for cytokine-induced signal transduction mediated by tyrosine phosphorylation.

CD18 Antigens↗

Fish cast NETs: neutrophil extracellular traps are released from fish neutrophils.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are extracellular DNA structures released from neutrophils, are described and characterized for the first time in fish using fluorescent confocal microscopy. Confocal images of fish neutrophil suspensions stained with 6'-diamino-2-phenylindole, dihydrochloride DNA fluorescent stain (DAPI) revealed the presence of NETs which appeared as fibrous structures connecting several cells. Co-localization of NETs with neutrophil granular proteins and actin was investigated using specific antibodies and probes. Double staining of neutrophils with SYTOX green and DAPI revealed that SYTOX stain applied to living cells stained extracellular DNA, but not nuclei. NETs are actively released from stimulated living cells, associated with granular proteins, but not with cytoskeleton, and are not a product of nuclear degradation seen in late apoptotic stages. Additionally, a fluorometric microtiter plate assay to quantify the release of NETs was adopted for use with fish neutrophils, and the effect of stress on NETs release was studied. This assay detected the inhibition of DNA release during stress conditions. In summary, NETs were released from living fish kidney neutrophils upon stimulation, characterized using fluorescence DNA-binding dyes, specific antibodies and probes, and quantified using a microtiter plate fluorometric assay that can rapidly measure a large number of samples. Detection of NETs can be used as an additional assay to an existing battery of functional tests, and as a new research model to study the effects of stress, immunomodulators, and diseases.

Animals↗

Circulating neutrophil CD18 receptor expression and ischemic flap neutrophil infiltration in a guinea pig model.

This article demonstrates a correlation between circulating neutrophil CD18 expression, neutrophil infiltration, and varying periods of ischemia induced in guinea pig island skin flaps. Fifty adult female Hartley guinea pigs were equally separated into a control group, a sham group, and ischemic groups of 2, 4, and 10 hours. All, except those in the control group, had single guinea pig island flank skin flaps raised. Systemic neutrophil surface receptor (CD18) expression was analyzed with monoclonal antibodies, and flap skin biopsy specimens were analyzed for neutrophil infiltration. The results show that neutrophil counts and receptor detection increase as flap ischemia increases. However, a trend toward declining receptor expression was observed in the 10-hour ischemic group. In conclusion, systemic neutrophil adhesion receptor upregulation is correlated with cutaneous flap neutrophil infiltration and ischemia-reperfusion injury in a guinea pig model. A trend toward declining receptor expression with advanced ischemia was observed.

Animals↗

Are circulating neutrophils intravascularly activated in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides?

Vascular injury in vasculitis may be due to activation of circulating neutrophils resulting in their increased adhesiveness to locally activated endothelium (Shwartzman phenomenon). Previously, we demonstrated up-regulation of endothelial intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in biopsies from patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis. In the present study, we investigated the expression of adhesion molecules (CD11b, ICAM-1, VLA-4, L-selectin) and activation markers (CD66b, CD64, CD63) on circulating neutrophils from patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis in comparison with their expression on cells from healthy volunteers and patients with sepsis. We related these findings to parameters of disease activity. Surface marker expression was determined by using a non-activating whole blood flow cytometric assay. The expression of activation markers, but not the expression of adhesion molecules, was increased on neutrophils from patients with active vasculitis. The expression of CD63 and CD66b on neutrophils correlated with disease activity as determined by the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS). In contrast to patients with active vasculitis, patients with sepsis showed up-regulation of all markers, including adhesion molecules, suggesting that circulating neutrophils are fully activated in sepsis. We conclude that in ANCA-associated vasculitis, circulating neutrophils are not fully activated, since they do not express increased levels of adhesion molecules as sepsis or in the Shwartzman reaction. These findings are compatible with the concept that in vivo vascular damage in ANCA-associated vasculitides does not occur due to a Shwarzman-like reaction but only after ANCA-induced neutrophil activation at the endothelial cell surface.

Adult↗

Safety issues of plateletpheresis: comparison of the effects of two cell separators on the activation of coagulation, fibrinolysis, and neutrophils and on the formation of neutrophil-platelet aggregates.

BACKGROUND: Although many donors undergo repeated plateletpheresis, data on the consequences of plateletpheresis for the donor's health remain scarce. Thus, the effect of plateletpheresis on the activation of coagulation, fibrinolysis, and neutrophils was investigated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Part 1: Sixteen healthy men were randomly assigned to undergo plateletpheresis on a cell separator (AMICUS, Fenwal Baxter; or MCS 3p, Haemonetics). The effects of plateletpheresis on plasma levels of prothrombin fragment (F(1+2)), D-dimer, plasmin-plasmin inhibitor (PPI) complexes, and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1); on the activation of neutrophils (% L-selectin+); and on the frequency of platelet-neutrophil aggregates (% CD41+ neutrophils) were compared. Part 2: Ten healthy men received infusions of ACD-A and placebo without apheresis in a randomized, double-blind crossover study to control for the pharmacologic effects of citrate. RESULTS: Part 1: No change in F(1+2) occurred (p>0.05), which indicated that plateletpheresis did not enhance coagulation. Levels of D-dimer, PPI, and PAI-1 decreased over time on the AMICUS (p<0.001). Plateletpheresis did not activate neutrophils (p>0.05), but it decreased the percentage of CD41+ neutrophils (p<0.003). An approximately 80-percent drop in mononuclear cells was observed in the extracorporeal circulation of the AMICUS (p<0.001 vs. baseline and p = 0.005 vs. MCS 3p), and circulating lymphocyte and monocyte counts decreased concomitantly. Part 2: Infusion of ACD-A slightly decreased D-dimer levels (p<0.05), and both infusions decreased the circulating lymphocyte counts. CONCLUSION: Plateletpheresis can be regarded as safe with respect to the activation of coagulation or neutrophils. The consequences for the donor's health of the decrease in D-dimer, PPI, and PAI-1 may deserve further investigation.

Adult↗

Expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family members in human neutrophils: up-regulation of cIAP2 by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and overexpression of cIAP2 in chronic neutrophilic leukemia.

Human neutrophils were found to express members of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family, namely cellular IAP1 (cIAP1), cIAP2, and X-linked IAP. Among these members, cIAP2 expression was selectively up-regulated by stimulation with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), but not with granulocyte-macrophage CSF. The increased expression of cIAP2 mRNA was detected as early as 30 minutes after in vitro stimulation with G-CSF, and the elevated level of cIAP2 protein was detected at 1 hour. The elevated level of cIAP2 protein was also detected in peripheral blood neutrophils obtained from healthy donors receiving G-CSF administration. G-CSF-induced up-regulation of cIAP2 mRNA and protein, phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and the antiapoptotic effects were inhibited by pretreatment of cells with AG490, a specific inhibitor of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2). Mature neutrophils from a patient with chronic neutrophilic leukemia exhibited remarkable overexpression of cIAP2 mRNA and prolongation of survival, whereas cIAP2 mRNA expression and survival in mature neutrophils from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia were essentially similar to those in normal neutrophils. These findings suggest that cIAP2 expression is up-regulated by G-CSF through activation of the JAK2-STAT3 pathway, and increased expression of cIAP2 protein may contribute to G-CSF-mediated antiapoptosis. In addition, overexpression of cIAP2 may be partly responsible for sustained neutrophilia at least in some cases of chronic neutrophilic leukemia.

Apoptosis↗

Expression of myeloperoxidase (MPO) by neutrophils is necessary for their activation by anti-neutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies (ANCA) against MPO.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies (ANCA) directed against proteinase-3 and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activate tumor necrosis factor-alpha-primed neutrophils in vitro. We used neutrophils from one completely and one partially MPO-deficient donor to assess the requirement of MPO expression for neutrophil activation by anti-MPO antibodies. The MPO deficiencies were defined enzymatically, by immunocytochemistry and by immunoblotting. The mutations in the MPO genes of these donors were identified as a combination of a novel splice-site mutation at the 3' end of intron 11 (A-2-->C), a deletion of 14 nucleotides in exon 9 (A1555-C1568), and a novel C1907 --> T (636Thr-->Met) substitution in exon 11 in the completely MPO-deficient donor and as the same splice-site mutation and a novel C995 --> T (332Ala-->Val) substitution in exon 7 in the partially MPO-deficient donor. Monoclonal antibody 4.15 against MPO and MPO-ANCA-immunoglobulin G induced no superoxide anion production in these MPO-deficient neutrophils despite a normal production induced by other stimuli. Thus, the presence of MPO is a conditio sine qua non for neutrophil activation by anti-MPO antibodies. Moreover, we demonstrated that by means of these MPO-deficient cells, hydrogen peroxide may diffuse from neutrophils to surrounding cells, which may contribute to the damage induced by oxygen radicals in the pathology of systemic vasculitides.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗

Role of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in neutrophil activation: GM-CSF enhances TLR2 expression and TLR2-mediated interleukin 8 responses in neutrophils.

In vitro studies as well as clinical trials indicate that the cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) enhance the ability of neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) to eliminate microbial organisms. Toll-like receptor (TLR) proteins, homologs of the Drosophila protein Toll, have been found on the surface of mammalian cells and are important in the responses of macrophages to bacterial, viral, and fungal antigens. TLR4 is critical for the response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria, while TLR2 is important for response to gram-positive bacteria, bacterial peptides, and yeast zymosan. We demonstrate that TLR2, but very little TLR4, is present on the surface of human neutrophils. In addition we demonstrate that GM-CSF and G-CSF dramatically up-regulate TLR2 and CD14 surface expression. GM-CSF treatment also up-regulates TLR2 and CD14 mRNA levels in neutrophils. In addition to increasing receptor expression, GM-CSF treatment enhanced the interleukin 8 (IL-8) secretion and superoxide priming responses of neutrophils to stimulation with TLR2 ligands, including zymosan, peptidoglycan, and lipoarabinomannan. The human monocyte response to crude bacterial LPS is composed of a TLR4-specific response to the pure LPS component and a TLR2-dependent response to associated lipopeptides. The removal of TLR2 lipopeptide components from LPS by phenol re-extraction substantially reduced both the IL-8 and superoxide response of the stimulated neutrophils, indicating that, unlike monocytes, the neutrophil response is preferentially directed to TLR2 ligands. Thus, our studies demonstrate that GM-CSF dramatically enhances the functional response of neutrophils to TLR2 ligands, including LPS-associated lipopeptides.

Cells, Cultured↗

[Studies on functions of neutrophils in MPO-ANCA related glomerulonephiritis and plasma effect on MPO release from neutrophils].

In order to examine the role of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil activation in the pathogenesis of MPO-ANCA related necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN), we investigated MPO release and superoxide anion (O-2) production from the neutrophils in MPO ANCA related GN. Plasma effect on MPO release from neutrophils was also studied in MPO-ANCA related GN. Neutrophils and plasma were obtained from 10 patients with MPO-ANCA-related GN (A), 10 patients with MPO-ANCA non related GN (B) and 10 healthy controls (C). MPO release and O-2 production were assayed by using chemotactic factor, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenyalanine (FMLP) and cytochalasin B (CB). In MPO-ANCA related GN, MPO release and O-2 production were significantly higher than in the other groups. [MPO release (%) A: 43.02 +/- 18.33, B: 33.26 +/- 11.58, C: 19.73 +/- 8.38, sensitivity to FMLP (%) A: 894.56 +/- 381.96, B: 512.86 +/- 314.91, C: 301.12 +/- 139.8, O-2 production (nmoles/min/10(6) cells) A: 13.06 +/- 5.28, B: 3.57 +/- 2.02, C: 2.83 +/- 1.16] Furthermore, MPO release, sensitivity to FMLP and O-2 production were shown to increase in parallel with clinical disease activity. Plasma from MPO-ANCA related GN increased sensitivity to FMLP in neutrophils obtained from healthy controls [plasma concentration 1%, A: 311.5 +/- 110.3, B: 227.2 +/- 101.4, C: 215.5 +/- 93.7], and plasma from MPO-ANCA related GN suppressed %MPO release from neutrophils with MPO-ANCA related GN [plasma concentration 0.1%, A: 11.56 +/- 6.17, C: 15.51 +/- 8.01]. It was concluded that in patients with MPO-ANCA related GN, large amounts of MPO can be easily released from activated neutrophils and this might be influenced by some stimulating and suppressing factors contained in the plasma.

Adult↗

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor augments neutrophil-mediated cartilage degradation and neutrophil adherence.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is produced in large quantities by synoviocytes in the inflamed arthritic joint and is known to be a neutrophil activator. Neutrophils predominate during acute flares of arthritis and are important mediators of cartilage destruction. In this investigation, we show that treatment of neutrophils with 10-1,000 units/ml of GM-CSF augments their ability to degrade cartilage proteoglycan in vitro. This was associated with increased neutrophil adherence to cartilage and increased release of oxygen-derived reactive species and granule enzymes in response to cartilage. Coating the cartilage with heat-aggregated human immunoglobulin G (AHG) enhanced both neutrophil adherence to the tissue and tissue degradation. GM-CSF, however, augmented these neutrophil effects independently of the presence of AHG. In contrast, neutrophil-mediated inhibition of proteoglycan synthesis was unaffected by GM-CSF.

Animals↗

Activated neutrophils and neutrophil activators in human milk: increased expression of CD11b and decreased expression of L-selectin.

Human milk neutrophils and macrophages were examined by flow cytometry to determine whether they displayed phenotypic markers of activation. The markers were CD11b and L-selectin, which are increased or shed, respectively, from the surface of activated neutrophils. Phenotypic features of milk neutrophils and macrophages were similar to blood neutrophils stimulated with fMLP: plasma membrane expression of CD11b was increased and L-selectin was decreased. After blood neutrophils were incubated in acellular milk, their expression of CD11b increased and L-selectin decreased. The activation was not affected by trypsin but was significantly decreased by treating acellular milk with chloroform or ether. Sedimentation studies suggested that particulate fractions of milk were active. Further, the activation was partly blocked by treating target blood neutrophils with cytochalasin B. Thus, human milk neutrophils are activated, and the activation may be due partly to phagocytosis of membranous structures in milk.

Cell Adhesion Molecules↗

Fas/Apo-1 (CD95)-mediated apoptosis of neutrophils with Fas ligand (CD95L)-expressing tumors is crucial for induction of inflammation by neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes associated with antitumor immunity.

To address how FasL-expressing tumors induce neutrophil emigration and abrogate tumorigenicity, we investigated the behavior of FasLcDNA-transfected hepatoma MH134 (G2) cells injected into wild-type (+) mice, lpr(cg)/lpr(cg) (lpr(cg)) mice with death domain (DD)-mutated Fas, and gld/gld lpr/lpr (gld/lpr) mice with defects in FasL/Fas. G2 cells were eradicated after extensive infiltration of neutrophils around them in + mice but formed tumors without such infiltration in lpr(cg) and gld/lpr mice. Abundant cell debris suggestive of apoptosis of infiltrating neutrophils was found among G2 tumor cells in + mice but a few neutrophils infiltrating among G2 cells were intact in lpr(cg) and gld/lpr mice. Collectively, these results indicate the crucial role of Fas DD in Fas-mediated apoptosis of neutrophils and suggest that apoptosis of neutrophils with FasL-expressing tumors may trigger the extensive infiltration of neutrophils, resulting in violent inflammation and ultimately in the eradication of tumor cells.

Animals↗

Interaction between human neutrophils and corneocytes: corneocyte-induced respiratory burst of neutrophils assessed by chemiluminescence.

In an in vitro study to examine whether corneocytes stimulate neutrophils to cause a respiratory burst, we found that stratum corneum (SC) homogenates obtained from the sole of healthy individuals induced a substantial respiratory burst in human neutrophils when assessed by lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) in the presence of the fresh human serum. Electron microscopically, the interaction between corneocytes and neutrophils was shown as distinctive deformation of the neutrophils adhering to the surface of the corneocytes that suggested a specific binding between SC and neutrophils. In contrast, in the heat-inactivated serum-supplemented system, the peak intensity of SC-induced CL was significantly decreased, being only slightly higher than that noted in the SC-free background. To circumvent the time-consuming preparation of the SC homogenates, we measured CL with a sheet of SC obtained by stripping with adhesive cellophane tape. In this case we used plasma because the complement was easily activated by cellophane tape itself when serum was used. To evaluate the influence of the location of horny tissue in the SC on CL in neutrophils, we used SC sheets stripped with cellophane tape from various levels of the SC. However, there was no significant difference in CL responses between SC sheets obtained by 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, or 15 strippings. Our findings suggest that when SC comes in contact with serum, it is opsonized by C3b, and such SC causes a respiratory burst of neutrophils following their specific binding on the surface of corneocytes.

Cell Communication↗