REDUCTION OF BURN INJURY BY INHIBITING CD18-MEDIATED LEUKOCYTE ADHERENCE IN RABBITS

The progressive nature of dermal ischemia and subsequent tissue destru ction within the ''zone of stasis'' is a central focus in burn researc h. To examine the role of neutrophils and neutrophil adherence within the zone of stasis, we utilized the monoclonal antibody (MAb) 60.3, di rected to the human leukocyte adherence glycoprotein CD18 to block neu trophil adherence to endothelium and intravascular aggregation in a ra bbit model of partial-thickness burn. Burns were created by applying a n 80 degrees C brass template to the dorsal rabbit skin for 5 or 10 se conds. Animals treated with MAb 60.3 thirty minutes following a 5-seco nd burn had less edema, thinner eschar, and earlier elevation of the e schar than control animals. Histologic analysis revealed an eightfold increase in live hair follicles (p < 0.05) and 43 percent greater reep ithelialization at 8 days (p < 0.05) and a 15 percent reduction in bur n surface area at 24 hours (p < 0.0001) in the antibody-treated group. There was no significant difference between treatment and control gro ups exposed to 10-second burns. We conclude that neutrophils and incre ased neutrophil adherence play important roles in the progressive tiss ue destruction within the zone of stasis in burns. Furthermore, modera te burn injury may be significantly attenuated by blocking neutrophil adherence functions with a CD18 MAb.