EXPERIMENTAL ANTILEUKOCYTE INTERVENTIONS IN CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA

White blood cells (WBCs) play vital roles in host defense. Recently, i ncreasing interest has been directed toward the question of whether WB Cs, particularly polymorphonuclear leukocytes, could also act as media tors of secondary brain damage in the setting of focal and global cere bral ischemia with and without reperfusion. Considerable insight into the importance of WBC-mediated tissue injury has been gained from stud ies employing antileukocyte interventions in experimental cerebral isc hemia. The purpose of this article is to survey the different approach es taken to interfere with WBC inflammatory function. Emphasis is laid on a discussion of the efficacy of these interventions, their effects and side effects on cerebral and systemic parameters, and the power o f evidence they provide for identification of WBCs as important factor s in cerebral ischemia. The role of WBCs has been investigated in a gr eat variety of global and focal cerebral ischemia models with and with out reperfusion, leading to sometimes contradictory results. In the li ght of currently available data, it seems likely that WBCs con tribute to secondary brain damage in the scenario of experimental transient f ocal cerebral ischemia, if the insult is not too severe.