EFFECT OF N-ACETYL-D-GLUCOSAMINE AND D-GLUCOSAMINE OLIGOMERS ON CANINE POLYMORPHONUCLEAR CELLS IN-VITRO

The effect of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and D-glucosamine (GlcN) oligomers on the activation and viability of canine poly morphonuclea r cells (PMNs) was evaluated. Checkerboard assays of both oligomers re vealed that the GlcNAc oligomer induced chemotactic migration, while G lcN oligomer induced chemotactic and chemokinetic migration. The GlcN oligomer showed about twice the chemotactic activity of the GlcNAc oli gomer, and induced slight enhancement of the chemiluminescence respons e (CL) of canine PMNs to zymosan, as well as shortening of the peak ti me of the CL response compared with the control and the GlcNAc oligome r. Neither oligomer showed cytotoxicity for canine PMNs at a concentra tion of 100 mu g/ml. These results suggest that GlcNAc and GlcN oligom ers might be activating factors for canine PMN in vivo. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.