POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES AND HUMAN COLOSTRUM - EFFECTS OF IN-VIVOAND IN-VITRO EXPOSURE

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from human colostrum were compared with blood and oral exudate PMN from the same donors for their locomot ive, respiratory burst, phagocytic, and shape change (polarization) ca pabilities. Blood PMN were functionally superior to PMN from other sit es. Colostrum PMN were similar to oral exudate PMN in all areas except locomotive responses. Exposure of blood PMN to aqueous human colostru m resulted in decreased stimulated adherence to plastic, decreased bac tericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus, reversible induction of cellular shape change, and reversible decreases in cellular deform ability. The colostrum effects on PMN shape change and deformability w ere accompanied by significant increases in cytoskeleton-associated ac tin. PMN isolated from colostrum have suppressed functions, consistent with their being exudate cells. In addition, the colostrum environmen t effectively suppresses multiple functions in PMN from blood, these e ffects being mediated in part by rapid cytoskeletal assembly. PMN in c olostrum do not appear to be beneficial to the breast-fed infant due t o deficiencies in function.