Antigen challenge increases adherence of circulating neutrophils in horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Activation of circulating neutrophils has been observed following challenge of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may facilitate the accumulation of these cells in the airways. In this study, no significant difference was observed between adherence to protein coated plastic of blood neutrophils from asymptomatic COPD-susceptible and normal horses stimulated by the mediators PAF, human recombinant (hr)IL-8 and hrC5a. Twenty-four hours after the start of a 7 h antigen challenge, adherence of unstimulated neutrophils from COPD-susceptible horses increased from 2.5 (0.5-4.1)% and 3.4 (0.6-6.6)% to 19.6 (16.9-20.3)% and 21.8 (10.6-23.1)% adherence for cells in medium containing 0.1% or 0.2% BSA, respectively; (median [range]; n = 4). Adherence of cells from normal horses remained unchanged. Addition of an anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody, H20A, inhibited the increase in adherence at 24 h by 96 (45-100)%, n = 3. The percentage of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at 24 h increased from 1 (0-2) to 80 (65-94), (median (range), n = 4). These results suggest that antigen challenge results in exposure of circulating equine neutrophils to one or more factors that prime, or activate, these cells, which may enhance their recruitment to the lungs. Inhibition of circulating neutrophil activation may therefore represent a therapeutic target.