A SIMPLE ASSESSMENT OF HUMAN NEUTROPHIL ADHESIVENESS

The adhesiveness of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes was assessed in serum-coated polystyrene spectrophotometric cuvettes. Capped cuvettes , containing no more than 2x10(6) resting or concanavalin A-treated (1 00 mug/ml) polymorphonuclear leukocytes, were laid horizontally and su bjected to three 90-degrees rotations on their major axis at fixed tim es. After incubation at room temperature, non-adherent cells remaining in suspension were counted on the Coulter counter STKS hematological analyzer. After a 16-min incubation (4 min each side of the cuvette) t he adhesion of concanavalin A-activated neutrophils ranged from 98% to 100% and the adhesion of resting neutrophils from 30% to 35% (mean 32 .4+/-2.2%, n = 10). An 8-min incubation (2 min each side) led to appro ximately 50% adhesion of concanavalin A-activated neutrophils (mean 49 .9+/-2.2%, range 46%-54%, n=16), whereas the adhesion of resting cells was about 21% (mean 21.4+/-1.6%, range 19%-24%, n = 16). The variatio n in percentage adhesion in repeated assays did not exceed 4% using co ncanavalin A-activated cells and 7.5% with resting neutrophils. The pr ocedure is very rapid, easy to perform and precise, and no special app aratus or glassware is necessary. The method also allows microscopic e valuation of shape changes of adherent neutrophils through the clear s ides of the cuvettes.