CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN NEUTROPHILS ADHERENT TO ORGANIC POLYMERS

The adherence of human neutrophils to surfaces from organic polymers (Pellethane(R), two types of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene and polyethylene) is associated to a different extent with O-2(-) formation. No comparable differences were observed for the liberation of the granular enzyme elastase. Only cells attached to Pellethane responded strongly after a second stimulation by opsonized zymosan, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and aggregated IgG. The expression of related antigens on adherent cells was measured by a cell-ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Cells adherent to five various untreated organic polymers show no differences of their Fc gamma- and C3bi-receptors. A considerable increase of all investigated cellular antigens was observed for neutrophils adherent to films precoated with autologous plasma. The adherence rates and the viability for cells adherent to different materials were similar and may not account for the observed differences in O-2(-) production during the primary adherence reaction and a further secondary stimulation.