LEUKOCYTE FILTRATION, POLYMORPHONUCLEAR MEMBRANE FLUIDITY AND POLYMORPHONUCLEAR CYTOSOLIC CA2-II DIABETICS WITH MACROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS( CONTENT IN TYPE)

In a group of 23 type II diabetics with macrovascular complications (M VC), we evaluated the white blood cell (WBC) filtration (unfractionate d, mononuclear -MN-, polymorphonuclear -PMN-cells) employing the St, G eorge Filtrometer and considering the parameter initial relative now r ate (IRFR), the PMN membrane fluidity using the fluorescent probe 1,4- (trimethylamino)-phenyl-4 phenylhexatriene (TMA-DPH) and the PMN cytos olic Ca2+ content adopting the fluorescent probe Fura 2-AM, Only the I RFR of unfractionated WBCs discriminated normals from type II diabetic s with MVC (p < 0.05), while the filtration parameter of MN and PMN ce lls did not distinguish normals from type II diabetics with MVC, Polym orphonuclear membrane fluidity did not differentiate normals from type II diabetics,,with MVC, in the latter PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content was significantly increased (p < 0.001), No correlation was evident betwee n WBC filtration, PMN membrane fluidity, PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content an d plasma metabolic parameters (fasting blood glucose level, total chol esterol and triglycerides serum level) in normals and in type II diabe tics with MVC, The increase in PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content and the alte ration of the unfractionated WBC now properties may explain the role p layed by leukocytes in type II diabetics with macrovascular complicati ons.