Effect of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-glucosamine oligomers on canine polymorphonuclear cells in vitro

The effect of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and D-glucosamine (GlcN) oligomers on the activation and viability of canine poly morphonuclear cells (PMNs) was evaluated. Checkerboard assays of both oligomers revealed that the GlcNAc oligomer induced chemotactic migration, while GlcN oligomer induced chemotactic and chemokinetic migration. The GlcN oligomer showed about twice the chemotactic activity of the GlcNAc oligomer, and induced slight enhancement of the chemiluminescence response (CL) of canine PMNs to zymosan, as well as shortening of the peak time of the CL response compared with the control and the GlcNAc oligomer. Neither oligomer showed cytotoxicity for canine PMNs at a concentration of 100 mu g/ml. These results suggest that GlcNAc and GlcN oligomers might be activating factors for canine PMN in vivo. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.