NEUTROPHILIA OF INFECTION INFLAMMATION - ARE WE REALLY DEALING WITH INFLAMED LEUKOCYTES/

We adopted whole blood flow cytometry and direct labeling of the CD11b /CD18 and CD62L antigens to study the relationship between their expre ssion and leukocytosis in patients with infection/inflammation, acute stress and healthy volunteers. Mean +/- S.D. channel fluorescence inte nsity of CD11b/CD18 antigen on peripheral blood polymorphonuclears did not differ between patients with infection/inflammation (173 +/- 78) and controls (167 +/- 72), but was significantly (p = 0.04) reduced in stress (135 +/- 60). No correlation was found between CD11b/CD18 anti gen level and either polymorphonuclears absolute number or serum C-rea ctive protein. A significant negative correlation was noted between CD 62L antigen expression on polymorphonuclears and their absolute number . We assume that cells with increased CD11b/CD18 surface concentration s are retained in the capillaries and that part of the leukocytes in t he peripheral blood are stressed leukocytes with reduced CD11b/CD18. T hus, leukocytes detected in peripheral blood are not necessarily the m ost ''inflamed'' ones.