Increased adhesiveness of complement-stimulated neonatal calf neutrophils and its pharmacologic inhibition

Several in vitro functions of neonatal neutrophils (N-PMN) have been reported to be deficient and may be functionally related to the increased susceptibility of the newborn to infection. To evaluate an in vitro event corresponding to one of the early steps in the sequence of inflammation, we used zymosan-activated plasma as a source of activated complement fragments (Cf) and measured adherence of normal and Cf-stimulated bovine N-PMN to columns of Sephadex G-25. Adherence of control N-PMN and adult PMN (A-PMN) was comparable. When N-PMN and A-PMN were stimulated with a subaggregating dose of Cf, both responded with similar increases in adhesiveness. The stimulatory effect of Cf on N-PMN adhesiveness could be inhibited by pre-incubation of the N-PMN with either steroidal (0.05 mM dexamethasone) or non-steroidal (32 mM phenylbutazone) anti-inflammatory drugs. Ultrastructural observations correlated well with the results of the adhesiveness assays, and morphometric evaluation revealed an increase in the sectional circumference of Cf-stimulated N-PMN. Control cells were round with few short cytoplasmic projections, whereas Cf-stimulated cells exhibited marked shape irregularity, polarity, and prominent organelle-free lamellipodia development. There was a highly significant (P less than 0.001) increase in the measured circumference of Cf-stimulated cells. Thus, N-PMN were highly responsive to Cf stimulation, developed morphologic and functional changes indistinguishable from Cf-stimulated A-PMN, and were sensitive to pharmacologic inhibition.