Production of nitric oxide by leukocytes and platelets of human peripheral blood in health and vascular pathology.

Nitric oxide (NO) production, by human white blood cells (WBCs) I and platelets was studied in 23 healthy subjects and in 20 varicose patients. The Apache 11 stores of the injuried patients ranged from 5 to 9. WBCs and platelets were obtained from.,blood by centrifugation technique. WBCs and platelet suspensions were diluted in complete content medium (RPMI1640, bovine fetal serum, L-glutamine, antibiotics) up to the concentrations of 5x10(6) in 0.5 ml and 0.5x10(8) in 0.5 ml, respectively, and incubated for 15 hours at the temperature of 37degreesC. The NO nitrite metabolite concentration was determined by Griss test. Relative NO production by WBCs made 0.75 +/- 0.06 mcmol/L in healthy subjects and 1.84 +/- 0.06 mcmol/L in patients (p < 0.001). Relative NO production by platelets made up 2.15 +/- 0.14 mcmol/L in healthy subjects, and 2.46 +/- 0.08 mcmol/L in patients (P < 0.05). The absolute NO concentration was determined regarding individual WBCs and platelet counts of each healthy subject and each patient. Absolute NO. production by WBCs was 0.47 +/- 0.05 mcmol/L in healthy subjects, and 1.45 +/- 0.09 mcmol/l in patients (P < 0.001). The absolute NO production by platelets corresponded to 7.70 +/- 0.55 mcmol/L in Health and to 9.54 +/- 0.49 mcmol/L in patients (p < 0.05). Therefore, in healthy subjects, the absolute NO production by platelets is 16 times higher than the absolute NO production by WBCs. NO production by both WBCs and platelets increases in stress.