[Stimulation of leukocyte migration by L-carnitine]

In order to stimulate the vitality and growth of cell cultures, serum from calves or horses is frequently added to different concentrations. It is only in serum-free systems, however, that exactly defined constant conditions of cultures can be created and that cellular regulating factors can be characterized in a biochemical way. From this aspect we investigated the impact of L-carnitine on leukocyte migration in vitro. In a serum-free medium a significant stimulation of migration could be identified in 6.2 mmol/l of L-carnitine by means of the agarose-microdroplet technique. Even those concentrations of carnitine which elicited no significant stimulation resulted in a homogeneous distribution of cells on the migrating area, thus unequivocally limiting the distance of migration. An unspecific effect of concentration or ions was excluded by the application of gamma-butyrobetaine which did not produce any stimulation of migration. Even lymphokine activity (leukocyte inhibitory factor of migration) could be represented after having added carnitine.