Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

In vitro Coculture Assay to Assess Pathogen Induced Neutrophil Trans-epithelial Migration
14:14

In vitro Coculture Assay to Assess Pathogen Induced Neutrophil Trans-epithelial Migration

Published on: January 6, 2014

Uptake, transport, and delivery of antimicrobial agents by human polymorphonuclear neutrophils

G L Mandell1, E Coleman

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908-1341, USA. gm@virginia.edu

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|May 17, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Certain antibiotics, including azithromycin and fluoroquinolones, are concentrated and transported by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). These PMN-delivered antibiotics effectively inhibit bacterial growth at infection sites.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) migrate to infection sites.
  • Antimicrobial agents need to enter and be transported by PMN without altering migration to be effective.
  • Penicillin G was found to be ineffective as it did not enter or get transported by PMN.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cellular uptake, transport, and release of specific antibiotics by PMN.
  • To determine if certain antibiotics can be effectively delivered to infection sites via PMN.

Main Methods:

  • PMN were exposed to various antibiotics.
  • Antibiotic concentration within PMN was measured.
  • PMN migration towards a chemoattractant in the presence of antibiotics was assessed.
  • Antibiotic release from PMN and subsequent bacterial growth inhibition were evaluated.

Main Results:

  • Azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and telithromycin were concentrated within PMN.
  • These antibiotics were transported by PMN towards a chemoattractant.
  • The antibiotics were released from PMN and demonstrated inhibitory effects on bacterial growth.

Conclusions:

  • Several key antibiotics are effectively internalized, transported, and released by PMN.
  • PMN can serve as a delivery mechanism for these antimicrobial agents to infection sites.
  • This mechanism holds potential for enhancing antimicrobial efficacy in treating infections.

More Related Videos

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium11:20

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium

Published on: November 7, 2013

A Set of Screening Techniques for a Quick Overview of the Neutrophil Function12:27

A Set of Screening Techniques for a Quick Overview of the Neutrophil Function

Published on: February 9, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

Antimicrobial Proteins

Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport01:24

Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport

Drugs must traverse multiple biological barriers, such as multi-layered skin, single-layered intestinal epithelium, and the plasma membrane, to reach their target sites within the body. The plasma membrane, a highly structured composite of phospholipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, is the cell's protective boundary, facilitating selective substance exchange.
Phospholipids arrange themselves into a bilayer, with hydrophilic heads oriented outward and hydrophobic tails facing inward.
Mechanisms of Drug Absorption: Paracellular, Transcellular, and Vesicular Transport01:23

Mechanisms of Drug Absorption: Paracellular, Transcellular, and Vesicular Transport

Drugs need to permeate cell membranes to reach their target sites after administration. Orally administered drugs must transcend intestinal epithelial membrane barriers to infiltrate the systemic circulation. Drugs with a molecular weight of less than 500 Daltons diffuse through gaps between neighboring cells, called paracellular pathways.
However, most drugs use the transcellular route, traversing directly through the cell membranes via two mechanisms: passive and active transport. Passive...
Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport01:17

Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport

Pore transport and ion-pair formation are critical mechanisms for the absorption and distribution of drugs in the body.
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited  but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct microscopic...
Carrier-Mediated Transport01:06

Carrier-Mediated Transport

Carrier-mediated transport is a pivotal process in drug absorption, particularly for lipid-insoluble drugs, and encompasses facilitated diffusion and active transport. Facilitated diffusion allows drugs to move along their concentration gradient without energy expenditure, while active transport utilizes ATP to drive drug movement against this gradient.
Active transport involves two types of membrane-spanning transporters: uptake and efflux. Uptake transporters are expressed in the small...