[The effect of low molecular weight heparin on peripheral leukocyte chemotaxis in patients with asthma]

Evidence has now accumulated that heparin can significantly affect immune response including allergic inflammation. Cell motility is supposed to be very crucial in this process. Thus the aim of that study was to investigate whether heparin is chemoattractant for some inflammatory cells in asthmatics. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and neutrophils from 6 healthy subjects and 16 asthmatics were obtained by gradient centrifugation. Chemotaxis assays towards low molecular weight heparin-Clexane were performed in Boyden chambers. We found that heparin is chemoattractant for both PBMCs and neutrophils in the wide concentration range (1-2000 micrograms/ml)--maximal chemotaxis was observed at concentrations 50-500 micrograms/ml. Chemotactic motility of cells from asthmatics was weaker than from healthy subjects; the difference wasn't significant.