Polymorphonuclear leukocyte function during hemodialysis: relationship to complement activation

Phagocytosis, H2O2 production, and C3bi receptor (CR3) expression by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) obtained from patients before, during, and after a hemodialysis treatment were evaluated by flow microfluorometry. The results were compared to changes in plasma levels of C3ades Arg and C5ades Arg. Prior to hemodialysis C3ades Arg and C5ades Arg levels, CR3 expression and phagocytosis were not different from normal controls. However, both basal and phagocytosis-induced H2O2 production were increased. C3ades Arg and C5ades Arg were increased after 15 min of dialysis; this was accompanied by transient but significant reductions in PMN count and phagocytosis and increased CR3 expression. No changes in basal or stimulated H2O2 production were observed. We conclude that PMN of hemodialysis patients are primed for an enhanced respiratory burst before dialysis is initiated. Dialysis-induced complement activation after the initiation of dialysis does not further stimulate H2O2 production or enhance the response to phagocytosis. However, complement activation may cause leukopenia and CR3 expression.

Comparative studies on the adhesiveness of granulocytes of guinea pig and man

The high affinity of granulocytes of guinea pig and man to glass surfaces is modified by serum. Native serum contains both an adherence-promoting activity, which is related to complement, and components which reduce the adhesiveness of granulocytes. These components are stable at 56 degrees C for 30 min and are tightly bound to the glass surface. beta-Lipoproteins are candidates for this adherence reducing ability of serum. Adherence promotion by native serum is mediated by coating the glass surface with C3b/C3bi. Human granulocytes from the peripheral blood adhered pig serum with C3b/C3bi to almost the same extent as in the presence of native serum, but on guinea pig granulocytes elicited in the peritoneal cavity, a cell surface metalloproteinase degraded the C3b/C3bi, thus reducing the adhesiveness of these cells. This proteinase was inhibited by MgEDTA, DTT, and 1,10-phenanthroline, whereby the high adhesiveness of granulocytes was restored to C3b/C3bi-coated glass.

Stimulation of human neutrophilic granulocytes by two monocyte-derived cytokines

Human monocytes upon stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide release two cytokines which modulate the functions of neutrophilic granulocytes (PMN), a monocyte-derived chemotaxin (MOC) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Both cytokines stimulated the adherence of PMN on protein-coated nylon-fibers. Whereas MOC is one of the four most potent chemoattractants known, TNF was a most powerful inhibitor of PMN chemotactic migration towards several chemotactic factors including MOC. Neither cytokine stimulated the release of superoxide anion (O2-) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from PMN in suspension. However, TNF, but not MOC, caused the release of considerable amounts of H2O2 and O2- from PMN attached to nylon fibers. The two cytokines have similar effects on the adherence, opposing effects on chemotactic migration and different effects on the oxidative burst of PMN.

Pathogenic effects of monocytopenia, granulocytopenia and dexamethasone on the course of experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa endocarditis in rabbits

Intravegetation host inflammatory cell function may play a role in the more salutary clinical outcomes in human right- vs. left-sided endocarditis. To study this in vivo, 90 rabbits with tricuspid Pseudomonas aeruginosa endocarditis received either no therapy (controls), nitrogen mustard (HN2) to induce combined granulocytopenia + monocytopenia, etoposide (VP-16-213) to induce selective monocytopenia, or dexamethasone. Intravegetation inflammatory cell influxes were scored on a semiquantitative histopathologic scale. In VP-16-213 and dexamethasone recipients and tricuspid endocarditis controls, gradual decreases in mean intravegetation bacterial densities were observed over a 13-day infection period; in contrast, HN2 treatment was associated with a significant increase in intravegetation bacterial densities by day 13 of infection (p less than 0.001 vs. other tricuspid endocarditis groups). Histopathologically, vegetations from untreated controls and dexamethasone recipients showed granulocyte influxes during infection, while HN2 treatment resulted in predominantly granulocyte depletion within infected tricuspid vegetations; VP-16-213 caused mononuclear cell depletion at this site. This study supports the concept that the granulocyte plays a critical role in modulating spontaneous endocardial clearances of bacteria in experimental tricuspid endocarditis.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF) and multilineage CSF recruit human monocytes to express granulocyte CSF

We assessed the capacity of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and multilineage (Multi)-CSF to induce release of granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF) by highly purified peripheral blood monocyte (Mo) preparations. Our results reveal that GM-CSF and Multi-CSF, either alone or in a synergistic concert, activate Mo to transcribe G-CSF messenger (m) RNA and release biologically active G-CSF protein into their culture supernatants. G-CSF had no regulatory effect on Mo expression of cytoplasmic G-CSF mRNA levels and G-CSF protein secretion by itself. These differential actions of CSFs provide further insight into self-regulatory mechanisms within the growth factor hierarchy system.

Effect of 5637-conditioned medium on peripheral blood granulocyte-macrophage progenitors in normal subjects and patients with the myelodysplastic syndrome

There was no overall increase in PB-CFU-GM from normal subjects, or MDS patients, when exogenous CSA (5637-CM) was added to the culture medium. However, there was a sub-group of MDS patients (seven of 35) whose PB-CFU-GM numbers were significantly stimulated by 5637-CM. In addition, there were 11 (out of 48) MDS patients with undetectable PB-CFU-GM in assays without exogenous CSA but only two when 5637-CM was added (p less than 0.01). This sub-group is of particular interest as it is known that those without detectable PB-CFU-GM tend to have significantly shorter survival times than others. The mechanism of the functional abnormality is yet to be determined.

Effects of monocyte- and macrophage-derived products on granulocyte function in asthma

The pathology of bronchial asthma demonstrates a multicellular process. The airway mucosa is infiltrated with both mononuclear cells and granulocytes, of which the eosinophil is particularly prominent. In order to elucidate the cellular biology of airways inflammation, it is important to understand the interactions between different cells, as well as the biology of each individual cell type. The review highlights the effects of monocyte-macrophage-derived cell products on granulocyte function, because of the evidence for monocyte/macrophage activation in bronchial asthma.

Human granulocytes and granulocytes from other species demonstrate differences in chemotactic responsiveness to oxidized N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine

1. Oxidation of the methionine of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine to the sulfoxide or sulfone derivative results in the loss of the peptide's chemotactic activity for human granulocytes. 2. The oxidized peptides are chemotactic for human monocytes; however, 10- to 100-fold higher concentrations are required for optimal monocyte chemotaxis. 3. Mouse, guinea pig and rabbit granulocytes, and the WBC264-9 human-mouse hybrid cell line migrated to the oxidized peptides and required 10- to 1000-fold higher concentrations of the oxidized peptides to elicit optimal chemotactic responses. 4. Human granulocytes appear to be unique in their lack of responsiveness to oxidized derivatives.

Is lysosomal fusion required for the granulocyte chemiluminescence reaction?

When phagocytic leukocytes interact with soluble or particulate stimuli, the cells increase their production of oxidative metabolites. This increased production can be measured as luminol amplified light emission or chemiluminescence. From the literature it can be concluded that the chemiluminescence reaction is dependent on oxygen radicals produced by the cells and on the enzyme myeloperoxidase. Since the radical producing system and the peroxidase are localized to different subcellular compartments, it is proposed that a lysosomal fusion, bringing the two reactants together into the same subcellular compartment, is a prerequisite for the chemiluminescence reaction.

The effects of TGF beta on haemopoietic cells

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) suppresses the growth of differentiation inducible, murine IL-3-dependent multipotential cell lines but has no growth inhibitory effect upon an IL-3-independent (leukaemic) cell line arising from one of them, nor on IL-3-dependent cell lines that are unable to undergo differentiation. TGF beta inhibits in vitro colony formation by normal multipotential haemopoietic progenitor cells. Bipotential progenitors recruited by GM-CSF are, however, more resistant to the inhibitory effects of TGF beta, whereas progenitors recruited by the lineage restricted factor, M-CSF, are sensitive to the inhibitory effects. These data indicate that responsiveness to TGF beta is differentiation linked and studies with the cell lines suggest that response (or lack of response is not determined solely by levels of expression of TGF beta receptors. Furthermore, the effects of TGF beta 2 on haemopoietic progenitors are very similar to those induced by TGF beta.

Kinetics of granulocyte phagocytosis: rate limited by cytoplasmic viscosity and constrained by cell size

Micromanipulation of yeast particles and blood granulocytes has been used to study the kinetics of single phagocytosis events. The ingestion process was quantitated by observation of sequential adhesion and encapsulation times. Both adherence and encapsulation times were found to increase greatly as the temperature was reduced below 37 degrees C; calcium in solution facilitated adhesion of the particle to the phagocyte but not encapsulation; both adhesion and encapsulation processes required a minimum level of plasma components (presumably complement). The general nature of these observations were confirmatory of previous studies, but this study is unique in that the specific time course of single particle ingestion was quantitated. It was immediately apparent that the phagocytosis process was 100% efficient above the threshold concentrations required for plasma and temperature, but variations in times from cell to cell indicated heterogeneity in the population. The total time for ingestion varied from as low as 2 sec/particle at 37 degrees C to above several min/particle below 15 degrees C. Encapsulation times for particles were normalized by estimates of particle surface areas to establish a specific time/unit area of particle surface: from 0.5 sec/10(-8) cm2 at 37 degrees C to greater than 8 sec/10(-8) cm2 at 15 degrees C. The temperature dependence of the encapsulation time correlated well with the temperature dependence of the "apparent" viscosity for granulocytes measured by micropipet aspiration. As such, the kinetic properties observed in these phagocytosis tests are consistent with a model that both assembly of the contractile system and the displacement of the surface by active contraction in phagocytosis are limited by viscous dissipation in the cell.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The role of granulocytic chalone and antichalone in regulating granulocytopoiesis under stress]

The experiments on rats have shown that immobilization stress induces a prolonged increase of the activity in the blood serum of tissue-specific granulocytopoiesis stimulator--granulocytic antichalone.

Differential expression of CD11b/CD18 (Mo1) and myeloperoxidase genes during myeloid differentiation

During the course of differentiation of early human myeloid cells toward monocytes and granulocytes, cell surface expression of the cell adhesion molecule, CD11b/CD18 (Mo1) increases dramatically and expression of myeloperoxidase (MPO), a bacteriocidal enzyme, decreases markedly. Using the inducible promyelocytic cell line HL-60 as a model, we studied the mRNA expression of these genes. Differentiation of these cells along both a monocytic and a granulocytic pathway demonstrated that the mRNA levels of the two subunits of CD11b/CD18 increased in a pattern temporally and quantitatively similar to the increase in cell surface expression of this heterodimer. In contrast, the expression of MPO mRNA decreased in a temporal and quantitative pattern similar to the known decrease in MPO protein during differentiation, suggesting that regulation of these myeloid-specific proteins may occur at the level of mRNA expression. These findings have important implications with regard to the nature of the block in differentiation in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and the regulation of myeloid gene expression.

Aberrant expression of T cell and B cell markers in myelocyte/monocyte/histiocyte-derived lymphoma and leukemia cells. Is the infrequent expression of T/B cell markers sufficient to establish a lymphoid origin for Hodgkin's Reed-Sternberg cells?

Most Hodgkin's mononuclear cells and Reed-Sternberg (H-RS) cells are characterized by the expression of the antigen CD30, but not of T or B cell markers. A few H-RS cells, however, may express a limited number of T or B cell markers. Whether this expression is sufficient to allow the conclusion that H-RS cells are derived from T and/or B cells has been debated vigorously. The present study examined whether CD30 and aberrant T and B cell markers are expressed in cell lines that are well documented as being derived from the granulocyte/monocyte/histiocyte lineage. These cells included HL-60, KG-1, ML-1, THP-1, and U-937. Four other cell lines derived from patients with leukemias/lymphomas of monocytic or granulocytic origins also were studied. These cells included BV173, CML-Brown, CTV-2, and SU-DHL-1. If aberrant expression is detected, by analogy one may expect that rare T or B cell marker expression may occur in H-RS cells, because abundant evidence has indicated that H-RS cells may be related to cells in histiocyte lineage. In all nine of the cell lines studied, it was confirmed that numerous monocyte/granulocyte markers were expressed. The marker expression was enhanced after cells were induced to differentiate with phorbol ester (TPA) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). It was noted that several T and B cell markers also were expressed by these cells. Unlike the expression of monocyte/granulocyte markers, the expression of T or B cell markers was not affected, or only minimally affected, by treatment of the cells with TPA or TNF. Five of the cell lines (BV173, CML-Brown, CTV-2, SU-DHL-1, and THP-1) were shown to be CD30-positive. In CTV-2 and BV173, the expression of CD30 was greatly increased after induction with phorbol ester or TNF. Based on these studies, the following conclusions were reached: 1) The expression of aberrant B or T cell markers is not an uncommon finding in granulocyte/monocyte/histiocyte-related neoplastic cells. 2) The expression of granulocyte/monocyte markers in these cells is related to the state of cell differentiation, whereas the expression of T or B cell markers is not. 3) CD30 is not necessarily a proliferation-related antigen, and its expression is not a sole property of T or B cells, but can be present in granulocyte/monocyte/histiocyte-related cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Proto-oncogene expression during early myeloid differentiation of normal peripheral blood progenitor cells

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultured in liquid medium with fetal calf serum undergo differentiation to myeloblasts (7 days) and then mature granulocytes (14-21 days). This culture system was used to study proto-oncogene expression during pre-myeloblast myeloid differentiation. c-myc mRNA was present in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells placed into culture, fell during the first 2-4 days of culture and then rose between days 2-4 and day 7 of culture, prior to and coincident with the appearance of myeloblasts. Histone H3 mRNA was absent or present at very low levels at initiation of cultures, and then rose throughout the first 7 days of culture. c-fms mRNA was absent at initiation of cultures, and appeared on days 2-5 of culture, prior to the appearance of myeloblasts. c-fos mRNA was not detected during differentiation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to myeloblasts. Elucidation of patterns of proto-oncogene expression during normal myeloid differentiation is a prerequisite for interpretation of proto-oncogene expression in myeloid leukemia cells.

[Proliferative activity of granulocyte progenitors from the bone marrow of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in 14-day culture in vivo]

The proliferative activity of marrow granulocyte progenitors (CFU-dG) from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and healthy subjects was investigated in 14th-day culture using diffusion chamber technique in vivo. On each day the number of clusters (20-50 cells) and colonies (over 50 cells) was estimated. In addition, on the day 4, 7 and 9 the count of CFU-dG in the S-phase of cell cycle was determined. During the first 9 days the number of clusters and colonies successively increased both in CML and control, but this result was more pronounced in experiments with CML-CFU-dG. In the period between days 9 th and 14th a decrease in the proliferative activity of CFU-dG could be observed. During the whole culture-time the number of colonies was markedly higher than that of clusters. The percentage of CML-CFU-dG in S-phase was comparable to that noted in controls.

CR1-expression and C3b-mediated phagocytosis of granulocytes in purulent maxillary secretion and peripheral blood from patients with sinusitis

Granulocytes in sinus pus and in peripheral blood in 28 patients with maxillary sinus empyema were compared to blood granulocytes obtained from healthy blood donors. A flow cytofluorometric assay technique was used to establish the C3b-mediated phagocytosis and the CR1-receptor expression. The results indicate that a subpopulation of viable granulocytes in situ was activated with an increased ability to ingest particles. From 11 of 28 patients, an increased CR1-expression was also demonstrated in the blood samples, reflecting a priming of the circulating granulocytes before extravasation.

Granulated metrial gland cells

Granulated metrial gland (GMG) cells take their name from the metrial gland. The metrial gland is formed during pregnancy in many rodents with the appearance of GMG cells in the mesometrium at each implantation site. This paper reviews knowledge about GMG cells in rats and mice: the species most extensively studied. Granulated metrial gland cells are characterised by their cytoplasmic granules which contain glycoproteins and hydrolytic enzymes. The cytoplasm of some GMG cells contains extensive deposits of glycogen and moderate amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi bodies are usually present. Some GMG cells are binucleate and at certain stages of pregnancy many undergo mitosis. A few GMG cells are present in the endometrium (in mice) before implantation but in rats and mice during the week following implantation their numbers rapidly increase. During the 2nd week of gestation GMG cells are a prominent cell population in the decidua basalis and they appear in the circular layer of the myometrium and within the mesometrial triangle. By the beginning of the 3rd week of gestation they are present in the metrial gland in large numbers but they disappear and are relatively scarce at parturition. Rat and mouse GMG cells are readily distinguished by differences in the ultrastructure of their electron-dense granules. These differences have made it possible to show that GMG cells differentiate from bone marrow cell precursors by studying GMG cells in radiation-induced chimeric mice. The disappearance of GMG cells from the decidua basalis and metrial gland as pregnancy proceeds is accounted for by their death in situ and by their migration into blood vessels. Some GMG cells probably become trapped in lung capillary beds but the GMG cells in the maternal blood spaces of the placental labyrinth appear to interact with some layer 1 trophoblast cells and degeneration of the trophoblast and GMG cells occurs. Other cell types present in the uterus are described and their relationships to GMG cells considered. A close morphological relationship exists between cells in the decidua basalis and GMG cells and between fibroblast-like stromal cells in the metrial gland and GMG cells. Although initially GMG cells are closely packed between smooth muscle cells at the base of the mesometrium, the organisation of muscle cells in this region is disrupted with the formation of the metrial gland. Macrophages are considered, particularly in relationship to endocytotic activity of cells in the uterus, and it is argued that "it is not appropriate simply to dismiss GMG cells as macrophages".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Phagocytosis of bacterial aggregates by granulocytes

A study was conducted on the granulocytic phagocytosis of bacterial aggregates obtained under ideal environmental conditions. For the strains studied, aggregation was favored by low salt concentrations, low pH and temperatures between 30 degrees C and 40 degrees C. Our results show that the phagocytic capacity of granulocytes depends on the type and size of these aggregates. Those formed by a smaller number of cells are more easily phagocytized than the larger ones.

Galvanotaxis of human granulocytes. Dose-response curve

The galvanotactic response of human granulocytes was investigated theoretically and experimentally. The basic results are: (i) The granulocytes move towards the anode. (ii) The directed movement has been quantified by two different polar order parameters--the McCutcheon index and the average of cos phi. (iii) The polar order parameters are a function of the applied electric field (= dose-response curve). (iv) The inverse of the galvanotactic constant of migrating cells (analogous to the Michaelis-Menten constant) has a value of -0.2 +/- 0.03 V/mm. (v) The galvanotactic response of granulocytes is a non-cooperative process with a cooperativity coefficient of 1 +/- 0.2. (vi) The galvanotactic constant is a function of pH. (vii) The protein essential for the galvanotactic response is very likely a G-protein.

Changes in heterophils following antigen injection in immature male chickens

Eight-week-old Single Comb White Leghorn male chickens were injected intravenously with either .1 mL Brucella abortus (BA) or saline. Blood samples were drawn at 0 and 12 h postinjection and were examined for heterophil numbers and morphology. Differences between numbers of circulating heterophils/mm3 blood were not significant for saline and BA-treated birds at time zero. However, 12 h following injection, heterophil numbers in BA-treated birds were significantly (P less than .05) greater than those in saline-treated birds. Heterophil appearance took two forms: in the first form, granules were small, round, and strongly eosinophilic; in the second form, the granules were large, rod-shaped and more basophilic in staining. These changes indicate the possible involvement of heterophils in the initiation of a humoral immune response through enhancement of some secretory function.

Role of xanthine oxidase and granulocytes in ischemia-reperfusion injury

In this lecture, evidence is presented to support the following hypothesis regarding the roles of xanthine oxidase-derived oxidants and granulocytes in ischemia-reperfusion-induced microvascular injury. During the ischemic period, ATP is catabolized to yield hypoxanthine. The hypoxic stress also triggers the conversion of NAD-reducing xanthine dehydrogenase to the oxygen radical-producing xanthine oxidase. During reperfusion, molecular oxygen is reintroduced into the tissue where it reacts with hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase to produce a burst of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. In the presence of iron, superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide react via the Haber-Weiss reaction to form hydroxyl radicals. This highly reactive and cytotoxic radical then initiates lipid peroxidation of cell membrane components and the subsequent release of substances that attract, activate, and promote the adherence of granulocytes to microvascular endothelium. The adherent granulocytes then cause further endothelial cell injury via the release of superoxide and various proteases.

Nucleic acid binding of arylamines during the respiratory burst of human granulocytes

Following stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate, human granulocytes were found to incorporate a series of arylamines into cellular nucleic acid. No such binding occurred if the granulocytes were not induced to undergo the respiratory burst. The relative amount of covalent binding to cellular DNA and RNA was found to depend strongly on the chemical structure of the arylamine. 2-Aminofluorene gave the highest ratio of DNA/RNA binding, while 4-nitroaniline showed a very low ratio of DNA/RNA binding. 4-Nitroaniline may bind only to RNA, since the degree of binding to DNA was at the level of detectability. Two other substrates, 4-chloroaniline and 4-methylaniline, gave intermediary ratios of DNA/RNA binding. Studies on the possible role of the granulocyte enzyme myeloperoxidase in the activation and binding of these arylamines were conducted in vitro and also through the use of azide, an inhibitor of myeloperoxidase activity in cells. The results indicate that myeloperoxidase probably plays only a limited role in causing the covalent binding of arylamines to nucleic acid in human granulocytes. It is probable that other reactive oxygen species, which are not dependent upon myeloperoxidase for their production, are necessary for the bioactivation of some arylamines, especially for substrates such as 4-nitroaniline. A free-radical mechanism for arylamine bioactivation, and its potential role in arylamine toxicity, was presented in the context of the current scientific literature.

Effects of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on intracellular pH in mature granulocytes

We studied the effects of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSFrh) on the internal pH of granulocytes using the fluorescent probe BCECF. GM-CSFrh did not directly alter the resting pH of granulocytes isolated from the peripheral blood; however, when the cells were preincubated for 90 minutes with the growth factor and then activated with the chemotactic peptide N-formyl met leu phe (fMLP), they exhibited both an acceleration in the initial rate of acidification and a marked delay in realkalinization. The kinetic changes both in initial acidification and in subsequent realkalinization induced by GM-CSFrh priming were not prevented by protein synthesis inhibitors and were observed in granulocytes harvested from patients with both sex-linked and autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). By directly quantitating H+ ion secretion, by monitoring the effects of sodium repletion on intracellular pH, and through use of the sodium channel inhibitors amiloride and dimethyl amiloride and the Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor ouabain, we showed that the altered kinetics of intracellular acidification and alkalinization following fMLP stimulation of GM-CSFrh-primed granulocytes could not be accounted for by changes in transmembrane proton exportation regulated by the Na+/H+ antiport channel. Although the initial acidification following fMLP was abrogated by 2-deoxy-D-glucose in both GM-CSFrh-pretreated and GM-CSFrh-untreated granulocytes, retardation of the subsequent phase of alkalinization was observed in GM-CSFrh-primed cells even after inhibition of both glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolism. Our data indicate that the increased cytosolic acidification following fMLP stimulation in granulocytes "primed" with GM-CSFrh does not result from disordered proton excretion but instead from increased release of intracellular free acid which is only partially coupled to glucose catabolism or to the generation of superoxide anion (O2-).