Abstract
Summary: Neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) have previously been shown to be chemotactically deficient. To probe the mechanism(s) responsible for this deficiency, we have investigated the phenomenon of concanavalin A-induced capping in neonatal PMNs. PMNs from cord blood of 17 healthy, full-term infants and 17 normal adult volunteers were isolated by standard Ficoll-Hypaque and dextran sedimentation. After incubation with and without colchicine, the cells were reincubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate-Con A, fixed, and prepared in wet mounts. Using a fluorescence microscope, PMNs were identified, and the percentage of the capped cells was counted.
Upon treatment with colchicine, adult PMNs showed a significant increase in the percentage of capped cells. By contrast, the cord blood PMNs showed no significant increase in capping after colchicine treatment. The difference between percentage of PMNs showing colchicine-induced capping in adult and cord blood was highly significant (P < 0.01; Student's t test).
Speculation: Increasing evidence suggests that a primary developmental deficiency of neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocyte movement plays an important role in the compromised inflammatory response characteristic of this period of life. The data presented in this report strengthen the argument that the level at which the developmental deficiency operates is at the cell membrane. Future studies should be directed towards determining whether this represents a primary membrane abnormality or, rather, reflects a defect of cytoskeletal or other submembranous components. Such knowledge-would hopefully lead to improved therapeutic enhancement of the efficiency of neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocyte movement.
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Kimura, G., Miller, M., Leake, R. et al. Reduced Concanavalin A Capping of Neonatal Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes (PMNS). Pediatr Res 15, 1271–1273 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198109000-00009
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198109000-00009
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