From the University of British Columbia, Pulmonary Research Laboratory,
St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada.
Correspondence to Dr Stephan F. van Eeden, UBC, Pulmonary Research Laboratory, St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6. E-mail svaneeden{at}prl.pulmonary.ubc.ca
Methods and ResultsThe present study was designed to compare
the functional capabilities of PMN expressing low levels of L-selectin
(L-selectinlow) and the total population of PMN they were
isolated from (L-selectinmixed). The results show no
difference of the baseline filamentous actin (F-actin) content between
PMN expressing low and high levels of L-selectin. However, the ability
of L-selectinlow PMN to assemble F-actin was impaired after
stimulation by
n-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine
(fMLP) (1 nmol/L fMLP: P<.02, 10 nmol/L fMLP:
P<.01). The ability of L-selectinlow PMN to
change shape when stimulated (10 nmol/L fMLP) was also decreased
(P<.05). Filtration studies showed no difference in
baseline deformability between L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes, but the
L-selectinlow cells showed a decreased ability to stiffen
after fMLP stimulation (P<.05).
L-selectinlow cells demonstrated a decreased ability to
migrate toward a chemoattractant (1, 3, and 10 nmol/L fMLP)
(P<.004) but have an enhanced ability to upregulate
CD18 (P<.00002) and produce hydrogen peroxide
(P<.00004).
ConclusionsWe conclude that PMN undergo substantial functional
changes as they age in the circulation.
Baseline F-actin Contents
In Vitro Separation of Cells Expressing Low Levels of
L-selectin
Leukocyte-rich-plasma (LRP) prepared from peripheral blood
collected from the central ear artery of each rabbit using acid citrate
dextrose (ACD) (Fenwal, Baxter) was used as starting material. Red
blood cells were sedimented with 4% dextran (average molecular weight
of 162 000) (Sigma) in 1.38 mmol/L NaCl, 27 mmol/L KCl,
8.1 mmol/L
Na2HPO4·7H2O,
1.5 mmol/L KH2PO4, and
5.5 mmol/L glucose pH 7.4 buffer (PMN buffer) for 25 minutes.
Endotoxin-free solutions were used throughout all experiments. The
leukocyte-rich surface layer that contains the LRP was removed and
centrifuged at 300g for 7 minutes. The pellet of
cells was resuspended in 600 µL of HNS/0.1% BSA and divided in two
aliquots. One aliquot was incubated at 4°C for 1 hour with
bidirectional rotation with either DREG-200coated magnetic beads at a
ratio of approximately 20 to 1 (beads to leukocyte) and the other
aliquot incubated in buffer using the same experimental conditions
(control cells). Leukocytes that adhered to the magnetic beads by
virtue of the binding of L-selectin on their surface to DREG-200 were
removed by the magnet and referred to as
L-selectinhigh leukocytes. Those that remained in
solution were referred to as L-selectinlow
leukocytes. The starting solution (LRP) was composed of 70±5.4% PMN
and the rest were mononuclear cells (lymphocytes and monocytes), and
this composition did not changes significantly after the selection
procedure with the magnetic beads (65±6.6% PMN). The functional
capabilities of the L-selectinlow were compared
with the total population of leukocytes that they were isolated from
(control cells or L-selectinmixed cells).
These L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes were used in each
experiment below because the magnetic beads bound to
L-selectinhigh leukocytes interfere with the flow
cytometry analysis as well as in the filtration studies. In
preliminary experiments, incubating LRP with either magnetic beads
alone, IgG coated beads, or DREG-200 followed by sheep anti-mouse IgG
did not change the surface expression of the cell activation marker
CD18 or the expression of L-selectin on PMN. The purity of the
selection process was determined by measuring L-selectin expression on
the L-selectinlow population of PMN by using flow
cytometry with DREG-200 as a primary antibody and goat anti-mouse FITC
as a secondary antibody. The average MFI of
L-selectinlow PMN was
F-actin Assembly
Cell Shape Changes
PMN Deformability
Chemotactic Ability
CD18 Expression
Hydrogen Peroxide Production
Statistical Analysis
Cell Shape Changes in PMN
PMN Deformability
Chemotactic Ability of PMN
CD18 Expression by PMN
Hydrogen Peroxide Production by PMN
The peripheral blood PMN consists of a
heterogeneous population of
cells23 24 25 with respect to surface expression of
Fc receptors,26 27 28 29 fMLP
receptors,30 and responses to
chemoattractants.31 32 33
Heterogeneity in the maturation of circulating PMN
maturity has been recognized since the 1920s and is thought to account
for the variability in PMN locomotion,34 35
chemotactic ability,31 32 and alkaline phosphate
content.36 Studies from our laboratory have shown
that PMN newly released from the bone marrow express higher levels of
L-selectin than their circulating counterparts37
and that they lose their L-selectin as they age in the
circulation.18 The role of these different
populations of circulating PMN in the pathogenesis of inflammatory
diseases is still unclear.
The coordinated conversion of G-actin to F-actin is essential for
migration of PMN out of the vascular space toward
pathogens.38 Actin constitutes 10% of the total
protein of PMN, and
The defective regulation of actin assembly was supported by
experiments showing that the ability of these older PMN to stiffen
after stimulation was impaired (Fig 5
In the systemic circulation, the low levels of L-selectin on
older PMN could contribute to a decreased margination of these cells
along capillary walls by reducing their ability to roll on
activated endothelium in postcapillary venules.
Our studies showed that older PMN, expressing low levels of L-selectin,
had a reduced ability to migrate toward a chemotactic stimulus (Fig 6
The retention and migration of PMN through an
endothelial barrier are due, at least in part, to an
increase in PMN adhesiveness.52 Several studies
have shown that recruitment of PMN into tissues can be attenuated by
blocking surface PMN adhesion molecules.53 54 55 56
The CD18 antigen is required for firm adhesion and migration of PMN,
and cell activation causes degranulation of specific granules that
increases CD18 on the cell surface.57 58
Measurements at baseline showed that the expression of CD18 was similar
in older and younger PMN (P>.05), but cell activation with
fMLP increased CD18 expression significantly more in older PMN (Fig 7
In summary, the results presented here support the hypothesis
that older PMN have different functional responses from a mixed
population of circulating PMN. These defects are mainly in their early
response functions, such as F-actin assembly, changes in deformability,
and chemotaxis. These functions are important for PMN to facilitate
their movement into an inflammatory sites and migration toward an
activating stimulus. As these older PMN are defective in their ability
to migrate but degranulate more readily and produce more oxygen
radicals when stimulated, they are potentially harmful in situations of
diffuse intravascular cell activation. These defects could make older
PMN less likely to be recruited to a site of inflammation and may mark
them for permanent removal from the circulation.
Received June 30, 1997;
revision received September 8, 1997;
accepted September 25, 1997.
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© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.
Basic Science Reports
Functional Changes in Aging Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes
![]()
Abstract
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
BackgroundPrevious studies from our
laboratory have shown that the expression of L-selectin on
polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) decreases as the cell ages in
the circulation and that these older PMN have more fragmented DNA and
show morphological features of apoptosis.
Key Words: neutrophils cells chemotaxis adhesion molecules free radicals
![]()
Introduction
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
Polymorphonuclear
neutrophils marginate along vessel walls, adhere firmly to
endothelium, and migrate toward a chemotactic stimulus
as they are recruited to an inflammatory
site.1 2 3 4 Their primary role on reaching the site
of inflammation is to engulf and destroy pathogenic organisms by
generating reactive oxygen species and releasing hydrolytic enzymes
into the phagocytic vacuoles containing the engulfed bacteria. The
hypothesis that PMN become progressively activated during this
process and that host tissue injury occurs when activation is either
abnormal or excessive has been the subject of many
reports.5 6 Whyte et al7
have shown that PMN cultured in vitro lose functions and undergo
apoptosis. A recent report from our laboratory has shown that
the aging members of the population of circulating PMN expressing low
levels of L-selectin and have morphological features of
apoptosis with high levels of fragmented
DNA.8 These findings suggest that these cells
started undergoing programmed cell death in the circulation, and the
purpose of this study was to compare the function of this group of
older cells with the general PMN population. To test the hypothesis
that the functional capabilities of the older cells were different, we
examined their abilities to assemble and reorganize F-actin from
G-actin, change their deformability and shape, migrate toward a
chemotactic stimulus, degranulate, and generate oxygen radicals.
![]()
Methods
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
Animals
The study was approved by the Animal Experimentation Committee
of the University of British Columbia. Four female New Zealand White
rabbits were used in each of these studies except in the F-actin study,
in which 5 rabbits were used.
F-actin content of PMN in whole blood was determined with the
use of a modification of a previously described
method.9 PMN in whole blood were stained for both
L-selectin with DREG-200 (mouse monoclonal antibody against rabbit
L-selectin, kind gift from Dr E.C. Butcher) and F-actin with
fluorescein phalloidin (Molecular Probes, Inc) Exitation
(Ex.) 495 Emission (Em.) 520) (375 µg/mL) (FITC phalloidin).
Phycoerythrin-conjugated goat anti-mouse-IgG (PE) (Ex.495 Em.576)
(DAKO) was used as a secondary antibody for L-selectin. As a negative
control for L-selectin, nonimmune mouse IgG followed by PE conjugated
goat anti-mouse IgG was used. F-actinnegative control was processed
by adding phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) instead of FITC phalloidin.
The influence of the double labeling procedure was evaluated by
comparing results from cells labeled for a single antigen (either
L-selectin or F-actin) with results from double-labeled cells. Briefly,
100 µL of whole blood was added to 200 µL of PBS and 20 µL of 20
µg/mL DREG-200, incubated for 10 minutes, washed with 5 mL of PBS by
centrifugation at 200g for 7 minutes, resuspended in 25
µL of 15 µg/mL PE in PBS and incubated for 10 minutes in the dark.
Red blood cells were lysed by IMMUNO-LYSE (Coulter Immuno) for 2
minutes and fixed by 200 µL of formaldehyde, EM-Grade 16% solution
(Electron Microscopy Sciences) for 30 minutes in the dark. After
washing, cells were mixed with 200 µL of FITC phalloidin
permeabilizing solution (2.5 µL of 200 U/mL FITC phalloidin in
methanol evaporated and mixed with of 200 µL of 0.2 µmol/L
L-a-lysophosphatidylcholine palmitoyl (Sigma) in PBS) and incubated for
30 minutes at 37°C in the dark. This solution
permeabilizes the cell membrane and stains F-actin.
Cells were washed and analyzed by flow cytometry, EPICS XL-MCL
cell analysis system (Coulter). Analysis gates for PMN
were established with distinctive forward and side scatter profiles and
expressed as MFI on a log-scale analyzing 3000 to 6000 cells per
specimen. The expression of F-actin on 40% of PMN expressing the
lowest and 40% expressing the highest levels of L-selectin were
determined (Fig 1
). The 40% cutoff line was
selected because the average purity of the in vitro separation of
L-selectin deficient cells was
40% of the total population (see
next section).

View larger version (30K):
[in a new window]
Figure 1. Purity of L-selectinlow PMN as
measured by flow cytometry (A and B). PMN expressing low levels of
L-selectin were enriched with the monoclonal antibody DREG-200 (see
"Methods"). A, IgG control; B, L-selectinmixed [L(+)]
and L-selectinlow [L(-)] populations after enrichment.
In this representative example, 40% of the population
of PMN were selected as L-selectinlow cells. C
and D, F-actin content of PMN expressing low [L(-)] and high
[L(+)] levels of L-selectin. Leukocytes in whole blood were
immunolabeled for surface L-selectin with DREG-200, stained for F-actin
with FITC phalloidin and analyzed by flow cytometry. The
y-axis represents the number of
fluorescent events and the x-axis the relative
fluorescence intensity (log scale). The 40% of PMN expressing
low levels of L-selectin and the 40% expressing high levels of
L-selectin (C) were compared with respect to baseline F-actin content
(D). Graphs show a representative example of one
experiment; no difference was seen in baseline F-actin content between
PMN expressing low and high levels of L-selectin (n=6,
P>.05).
The selection of cells expressing low levels of L-selectin was
achieved by binding the monoclonal antibody DREG-200 to magnetic beads
as follows. An aliquot of 1 mL of DYNABEADS M-450 (Dynal) at a
concentration of 4x108 beads/mL with surface
conjugated sheep anti-mouse IgG was washed in 10 mL of 0.01 mol/L
HEPES, 0.09% sodium chloride irrigation, USP (Baxter) buffer (HEPES
normal saline, HNS). A magnet, MPC (DYNAL), was then applied to the
surface of the tube for 2 minutes and the wash fluid was decanted off.
This process was repeated three times. The washed beads were then
resuspended in 500 µL of HNS and 65 µL of DREG-200 at 100 µg/mL
was added. This mixture of 0.2 µg of DREG-200 and 1 mg of beads was
incubated overnight at 4°C and the beads were kept in suspension by
bidirectional rotation. Unbound DREG-200 antibody was removed from the
magnetic beads by washing the mixture in 10 mL HNS/0.1% BSA, pH 7.4,
at 4°C using bidirectional rotation for 30 minutes, applying the
magnet, and decanting the wash fluid. This washing procedure was
repeated four times. After resuspending in 500 µL of HNS/0.1% BSA
buffer, DREG-200coated magnetic beads were stored at 4°C and kept
in suspension until used as described below.
40% of that of the
mixed population of PMN they were isolated from
(L-selectinmixed PMN). All experiments were
performed under stringent endotoxin-free conditions.
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes were resuspended in
200 µL of 1/10 dilution of 10xHanks' salt (Stem Cell Technologies
Inc) (Hanks' buffer) with the final concentration to be
5x105 cells/mL, incubated at 37°C for 3
minutes, and stimulated with 25 µL of fMLP in PBS (final
concentration, 1 and 10 nmol/L). Leukocytes were fixed by 3%
paraformaldehyde (PFA) for 30 minutes at 0, 5, 10, 20,
and 80 seconds after stimulation, washed with 5 mL of PBS
(centrifugation at 200g for 7 minutes).
Leukocytes were incubated with 10 µL of 200U/mL
N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl)
phallacidin (NBD phallacidin. Molecular Probes, Inc) (Ex.405 Em.530) in
methanol was evaporated and mixed with 200 µL of 0.2 µmol/L PC
in PBS and further processed as described above. The concentrations of
fMLP we selected (1 and 10 nmol/L) were in the linear range of the
dose-response curve of cells stimulated by fMLP in concentrations
between 0.01 and 300 nmol/L (data not shown).
The changes in PMN shape were measured according to the method
described by Holden et al.10 Briefly,
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes were resuspended in
100 µL of Hanks' buffer with the final concentration to be
4x106 cells/mL, prewarmed at 37°C for 3
minutes, stimulated by 10 nmol/L fMLP, and 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and
10 minutes afterward fixed by the same volume of 5%
glutaraldehyde (1/5 dilution of 25% solution
Glutaraldehyde EM Grade. Electron Microscopy Sciences).
The cells were cytospun onto precoated slides (Fisher Scientific),
stained by the hematoxylin and eosin method,11
mounted in a permanent medium (Entellan, New BDH) and analyzed
by light microscopy (Nikon Labphoto-2). One hundred PMN were counted in
random fields of view to determine the fraction of PMN that had changed
shape.10 The interobserver variability was
determined by two observers counting 14 randomly selected coded slides
(100 cells/slide) and the intraobserver variability by the same
observer counting these slides 2 weeks apart. Both the interobserver
variability and the intraobserver variability were within the standard
deviation.
Leukocytes were filtered in vitro according to the filtration
method described by Lowe and Lennie.12 13
Briefly, L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes were resuspended to
1x105 cells/mL in 30 mL of PBS containing 0.5%
human albumin (albumin [human] 5%, USP, Plasmin-5,
Miles) (PBS/albumin). A 35-mL polypropylene syringe (Sherwood,
Monoject Plastic) and three-way stopcock (Medexinc) were mounted onto a
pump (Harvard apparatus model 55 to 2222) set to infuse at
a constant flow of 3 mL/min. One port of the stopcock was connected to
a removable 25-mm polypropylene holder (Poretics), which supported a
single 25-mm polycarbonate membrane filter (Poretics) with defined pore
size [pore diameter, 5 µm; length, 10 µm; and pore
density, 4x105/cm2
(manufacturer's data)]. The other port, at right angles to the
syringe filter, was connected to a pressure transducer (Validyne
Engineering Corp), which was attached to an amplifier (DREC
Recording System, Raytech Instruments), in turn outputting to
an X-Y chart recorder (Microsoft Smart Drive, Disk Cache Version
3.13; MS DOS version 5). This pressure-sensing system was first
calibrated with a water manometer under conditions of no flow before
each leukocyte filtration. The zero baseline for each membrane was
established by first filtering PBS/albumin alone for 8 minutes.
The leukocyte suspension in PBS/albumin was then infused
through the same membrane for 8 minutes. The absolute pressures
developed over baseline were recorded in cm
H2O. Filtrations were performed in triplicate
with a new filter for each occasion. After baseline studies, studies
with-fMLP stimulated cells (final concentration, 1 nmol/L) was
performed by adding 1 mL of fMLP in PBS to the cell solutions before
filtration.
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes were resuspended in
Hanks' buffer with the final concentration to be
1x106 cells/mL. A 48-well modified Boyden
chamber (Neuro Probe, Inc) and 5-µm pore polycarbonate membrane
filters (Poretics) were used following the manufacturer's
instructions. Fivex105 cells were loaded into
the top chamber with fMLP solution (final concentration to be 1, 3, and
10 nmol/L) in the lower chamber. Chambers were incubated for 45 minutes
at 37°C. Nonchemotaxed cells left on the loaded surface of the
membrane were removed. The filters were fixed by methanol for 20
seconds and stained by Diff-Quik (Dade Diagnostics of P.R.
Inc) following the manufacturer's instruction. The cells that had
passed through the filters were counted in random fields of view under
the light microscope, counting at least 100 cells.
Changes in the expression of CD18 at baseline and after fMLP
stimulation were measured with flow cytometry.
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes were resuspended in
200 µL of Hanks' buffer with the final concentration to be
5x105 cells/mL, incubated at 37°C for 3
minutes, and stimulated with 25 µL of fMLP in PBS (final
concentration, 1 nmol/L). Measurements were performed at 0, 2, 4, 8,
16, and 32 minutes after the addition of fMLP. Cells were fixed with
0.025% (final concentration) glutaraldehyde for 10
minutes, cell solution was washed, 25 µL of 75 µg/mL anti-CD18
antibody (Beta chain, clone MHM23, DAKO) in PBS was added for a final
concentration of 5 µg/mL. Nonimmune mouse IgG in the same final
concentration was used as a negative control. After 15 minutes of
incubation, cells were washed, incubated in 25 µL of 1/25 diluted
anti-mouse IgG (whole molecule) FITC conjugated (Sigma, Ex.495 Em.520)
in the dark, washed, and fixed by 1% PFA. Analysis gates for
PMN were established using distinctive forward and side scatter
profiles, and results were expressed as MFI on a log-scale analyzing
3000 to 6000 cells per specimen.
The respiratory burst activity of PMN was determined by
measuring PMN hydrogen peroxide
(H2O2) production
at baseline and after fMLP stimulation according to the method
previously described by Bass et al.14 Briefly,
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed leukocytes were resuspended in 2
mL of 0.1% gelatin (BDH) in 1.38 mmol/L NaCl, 27 mmol/L KCl,
8.1 mmol/L
Na2HPO4·7H2O,
1.5 mmol/L KH2PO4, and
5.5 mmol/L glucose, pH 7.4 (PMN buffer), with the final
concentration 2x105 cells/mL. Ten microliters of
5 mmol/L 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) (Ex.488
Em.510,
550, Molecular Probes, Inc) in 95% ethanol (final
concentration of ethanol was 0.1%) was added and incubated for 15
minutes at 37°C in a shaking water bath. Leukocytes were
analyzed with flow cytometry at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 minutes
after 25 µL of fMLP solutions were added (final concentration, 1
nmol/L). Analysis gates for PMN were established with
distinctive forward and side scatter profiles and expressed as MFI on a
log-scale analyzing 3000 to 6000 cells per specimen.
Data were analyzed with a two-way ANOVA for repeated
measurements with blocking on subjects in F-actin (Fig 2
), cell shape changes (Fig 3
), chemotactic ability (Fig 6
), CD18
expression (Fig 7
), and hydrogen peroxide production (Fig 8
)
studies. The sequential rejective Bonferroni15
procedure was used to correct for multiple comparisons. The methods
described by Ratkowsky16 was used to
analyze the deformability of PMN (Figs 4
and 5
). Each
curve was fit to the equation y=a/[1+exp (b-gx)] to
determine an estimate for the plateau, represented here by
a.16 The mean plateau for each subject (taken
over two to four trials per subject) in both groups was calculated
according to Mood et al.17 For each subject, the
difference in mean plateau between the two groups to be compared was
then calculated by using the method above.17 An
overall mean difference was computed, and a t statistic was
calculated to determine significance (P<.05). The
Bonferroni correction was considered in the calculation of the
t statistic to correct for multiple comparisons.

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Figure 2. F-actin assembly in PMN expressing low levels of
L-selectin [L(-)] and the population of cells they were isolated
from (mixed cells) after fMLP stimulation. L-selectinlow
and L-selectinmixed cells were stained for
F-actin with NBD-phallacidin after stimulation by 1 and 10 nmol/L fMLP.
F-actin content was analyzed by flow cytometry and measured as
MFI (see "Methods"). After both 1 nmol/L (P<.02)
and 10 nmol/L fMLP (P<.01) stimulation,
L-selectinmixed PMN showed higher levels of F-actin content
than L-selectinlow PMN at 10 seconds after fMLP
stimulation. F-actin content is expressed as a fraction of baseline;
values are mean±SE (n=5).

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Figure 3. Shape changes of the
L-selectinlow [L(-)] and
L-selectinmixed PMN after fMLP stimulation.
L-selectinlow and L-selectinmixed cells were
stained by hematoxylin and eosin and analyzed under the light
microscope. One hundred PMN were counted in random fields of view and
the results are expressed as the fraction of PMN that have changed
shape. At baseline,
20% of cells were newly spherical in shape in
both populations, but 2, 5, and 10 minutes after 10 nmol/L fMLP
stimulation more cells changed shape in a mixed population of PMN than
in the L-selectinlow population (P<.05).
Values are mean±SE (n=4).

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Figure 6. Chemotactic ability of L-selectinlow
[L(-)] and L-selectinmixed population of PMN.
Using modified Boyden chambers and a 5-µm polycarbonate filter, the
number of PMN that migrated through the filter toward 1, 3, and 10
nmol/L fMLP gradients was counted in randomly selected fields. With all
concentrations of fMLP, more cells migrated through the filter in a
mixed population of PMN (P<.004). Values are mean±SE
(1 nmol/L, n=3; 3 and 10 nmol/L, n=4).

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Figure 7. CD18 expression in the L-selectinlow
[L(-)] and L-selectinmixed population of PMN
after 1 nmol/L fMLP stimulation. CD18 expression in each cell
population was analyzed by flow cytometry and measured as MFI
(see "Methods"). There was no difference in the baseline expression
of CD18 between the two cell populations (P>.05). With
stimulation (1 nmol/L fMLP), L-selectinlow PMN expressed
significantly more CD18 (P<.00002) than the mixed
population of PMN. Values are expressed as a fraction of baseline and
are mean±SE (n=4).

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Figure 8. Hydrogen peroxide production in
L-selectinlow [L(-)] and L-selectinmixed
population of PMN after 1 nmol/L fMLP stimulation. Hydrogen peroxide
production in each cell population was analyzed with
flow cytometry (see "Methods"). Hydrogen peroxide
production was significantly higher in
L-selectinlow PMN (P<.00004) if compared
with production in a mixed population of PMN. Values are
expressed as a fraction of baseline and are mean±SE (n=4).

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Figure 4. Change in the deformability of
L-selectinlow [L(-)] and L-selectinmixed
cells at baseline as measured by filtration through polycarbonate
filters with 5-µm pores. There was no statistical difference in the
pressure when L-selectinlow and L-selectinmixed
cells were filtered. Lines represent the mean value of seven
experiments.

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[in a new window]
Figure 5. Changes in the deformability of
L-selectinlow [L(-)] and L-selectinmixed
population of cells after stimulation with 1 nmol/L fMLP. The plateau
pressures increased significantly when mixed cells were filtered after
1 nmol/L fMLP stimulation (P<.05) with little change in
the L-selectinlow leukocytes (P>.05).
Values are mean plateau pressure±SE (n=4) and expressed as a
percentage of baseline pressure.
![]()
Results
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
F-actin Content of PMN
Figs 1A
and 1B
show the purity of
L-selectinlow PMN as measured by flow cytometry.
In this representative example, 40% of the population
of PMN was selected as L-selectinlow cells. Figs 1C
and 1D
show the baseline F-actin content of
L-selectinhigh and
L-selectinlow PMN populations. There was no
difference in baseline F-actin content between the 40% of PMN
expressing high levels of L-selectin and 40% of PMN expressing low
levels of L-selectin. Fig 2
shows F-actin assembly in a
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed population of PMN after they were
stimulated by 1 and 10 nmol/L fMLP. Baseline F-actin was similar
(P>.05); however, at 10 seconds after stimulation with both
1 nmol/L (P<.02) and 10 nmol/L fMLP (P<.01),
L-selectinmixed PMN contained more F-actin than
L-selectinlow PMN. This difference was not seen
at the later time points.
At baseline,
20% of PMN in both of
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed cell populations had a
nonspherical shape. Fig 3
also shows the fraction of PMN that changed
shape after stimulation by 10 nmol/L fMLP. At 2, 5, and 10 minutes
after stimulation, more PMN in the mixed population changed shape
(P<.05) compared with the
L-selectinlow population.
The baseline pressures recorded over 8 minutes by filtration
of L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed populations of leukocytes through
polycarbonate filters with a 5-µm pore size are shown in Fig 4
(n=7).
Under baseline conditions, these curves were similar. Filtration of
fMLP-stimulated (1 nmol/L) cells showed a significant increase in the
plateau pressure during filtration of the mixed population with little
change in the L-selectinlow cells
(P<.05, Fig 5
). The fraction of PMN in the cell suspension
before and after filtration in both populations were not significantly
different (P>.05) (data not shown).
The chemotactic ability of L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed populations of PMN after they
were stimulated by 1, 3, and 10 nmol/L fMLP are shown in Fig 6
. More PMN migrated through the filters with
1, 3, and 10 nmol/L fMLP gradient in the mixed population of PMN
compared with the L-selectinlow population of PMN
(P<.004).
Fig 7
shows CD18 expression on a
population of L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed PMN after stimulation by 1 nmol/L
fMLP. Baseline expression of CD18 expression was similar in
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed PMN (P>.05). However,
after fMLP stimulation (1 nmol/L), L-selectinlow
PMN expressed more CD18 on the surface than a mixed population of PMN
(P<.00002).
Fig 8
shows hydrogen peroxide
production in a population of
L-selectinlow and
L-selectinmixed PMN after they were stimulated by
1 nmol/L fMLP. Baseline production of hydrogen peroxide was
similar in the two populations of PMN (P>.05), but with
stimulation L-selectinlow PMN produced more
hydrogen peroxide than a population of mixed PMN
(P<.00004).
![]()
Discussion
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
This report concerns the functional changes that occur in older
PMN in the circulation. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown
that PMN lose their L-selectin as they age in the
circulation,18 and we have used this marker of
cell age to select a population of older cells from the circulating
population of PMN. Several studies have shown that PMN aged in vitro
lose functions such as chemotaxis,19 20 adhesion,
spreading,21 and
phagocytosis19 and then undergo
apoptosis.22 In this study we compared
the functional properties of an older circulating population of PMN and
found that they have a decreased ability to convert G-actin to F-actin,
change shape, and migrate toward a chemotactic stimulus. Although
L-selectinlow PMN baseline deformability was
similar to that of L-selectinmixed PMN, their
ability to stiffen after stimulation was impaired. Furthermore, these
older PMN appear to degranulate more readily and produce higher levels
of oxygen radicals than a mixed population of circulating PMN.
50% of this actin is not polymerized in the
resting cell. Stimulation by chemotactic factors causes a rapid and
transient increase in the polymerization of actin with the assembly of
F-actin.38 Our results show no difference in
baseline F-actin content between L-selectinlow
and L-selectinhigh PMN (Figs 1C
and 1D
); however,
the ability of older PMN to rapidly polymerize actin (Fig 2
), change
shape (Fig 3
), and migrate in a chemotactic gradient (Fig 6
) is
impaired after stimulation with fMLP. These defects in older PMN could
occur at any of the numerous control sites of this well-regulated
process, including the interaction of the chemoattractant with its
receptor on the cell surface,39 subsequent signal
transduction,40 41 42 43 intracellular calcium
mobilization,44 45 and changes in the content and
regulation of the actin binding proteins.46 The
normal to above normal response of these older PMN to degranulate and
produce hydrogen peroxide after fMLP stimulation suggests that this
defect is not at the fMLP receptor level. Therefore the reduced ability
of older PMN to assemble F-actin as well as their decreased ability to
change shape and migrate into the tissues by moving toward a
chemotactic gradient most probably represents defective
intracellular events.
). Cell deformability was measured
as the pressure developed during cell filtration through micropore
membranes where the mean diameter (5 µm) is similar to the
average diameter of the human and rabbit pulmonary capillary
segments.47 Selby et al48
have shown a relationship between PMN deformability in vitro and
sequestration of PMN in the pulmonary capillaries by using a
similar system. In our experiments, baseline measurements showed no
difference of the deformability between older and younger PMN, but on
stimulation the ability of older PMN to increase their stiffness was
impaired (Fig 5
). This result is consistent with the defective
F-actin assembly in these older PMN. Changes in the deformability of
PMN have been shown to be the major factor resulting in sequestration
of PMN in pulmonary capillaries.47 49 50
This functional defect of older PMN to stiffen together with the
results of a decreased ability to change shape and chemotax suggested
that these PMN are less likely to be trapped in microvessels. This
sequestration of PMN in the lung has been shown to be an important
initial step in PMN-mediated lung injury in several models of acute and
chronic lung inflammation.5 6 47 48 50
).
Interestingly, this is similar to the defect described by Lichtman and
Weed51 in immature granulocytes in the bone
marrow suggesting that chemotactic ability is one of the last functions
that PMN attained during maturation but also one of the first functions
to deteriorate during aging. These defects in the early functional
responses of older PMN could preclude them from the inflammatory site
both in the systemic circulation and the pulmonary
circulation.
).
The enhanced degranulation response of older PMN as well as their
increased ability to produce oxygen radicals (Fig 8
) suggested that
these older PMN are primed. This priming of PMN may occur during their
life in the circulation, where they encounter mildly activated
vascular beds such as in the bladder, gums, and upper respiratory
tract. Removal of these older primed PMN from the circulation may be
beneficial in that it would protect the vascular bed from inappropriate
oxygen radical damage when these cells encounter an intravascular
stimulus generated from the complement, coagulation, or
kinin-generating system of the plasma. Several studies have shown that
activated PMN expressing higher levels of CD18 are removed from
the circulation.1 2 3 We speculate that this
enhanced ability of older PMN expressing low levels of L-selectin to
recruit CD18 to the cell surface could augment their permanent removal
from the circulation.
![]()
Selected Abbreviations and Acronyms
F-actin
=
filamentous actin
FITC
=
fluorescein isothiocyanate
fMLP
=
n-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine
G-actin
=
glomerular actin
L-selectinlowPMN
=
PMN expressing low levels of L-selectin
MFI
=
mean fluorescence intensity
L-selectinmixedPMN
=
PMN expressing intermediate levels of L-selectin
L-selectinhighPMN
=
PMN expressing high levels of L-selectin
PMN
=
polymorphonuclear neutrophils
![]()
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Medical Research Council
of Canada (grant 4219). Dr S.F. van Eeden received support from the St
Paul's Hospital Foundation. We want to thank Dr B.A.M. Walker for
reviewing the manuscript, Stuart Greene for photography, and Lorri
Verbrugt for statistical analysis.
![]()
References
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
1.
Smith CW, Rothlein R, Hughes BJ,
Mariscalco MM, Rudloff HE, Schmalstieg FC, Anderson DC. Recognition of
an endothelial determinant for CD 18-dependent human
neutrophil adherence and transendothelial migration.
J Clin Invest. 1988;82:17461756.
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