Functional capacity of marginated and bone marrow reserve granulocytes

Marginated and bone marrow reserve granulocytes were obtained from young healthy volunteers after subcutaneous administration of aqueous epinephrine (0.4 ml/m2) or intravenous administration of hydrocortisone sodium succinate (250 mg), respectively. These leukocytes were compared with circulating granulocytes for the ability to adhere to surfaces, migrate in a random fashion, respond to chemoattractants, interact with autologous serum opsonins, and phagocytize and kill five common bacterial pathogens. As contrasted with circulating neutrophils, marginated cells had enhanced phagocytic and killing capacity for some pathogens, whereas adherence, random migration, chemotaxis, and chemiluminescence for the two cell populations were equivalent. Bone marrow reserve cells demonstrated increased activity for three functional mechanisms; chemotaxis for these cells averaged 21% higher than that for circulating cells, and phagocytosis was 32% higher, with 6 to 17% greater killing of the five bacterial species studied. All of these differences were statistically significant (P less than 0.05). Random migration and interaction with serum opsonins were unchanged in bone marrow granulocytes. These enhanced functional properties of neutrophils which are outside of the circulating pool may represent important host defense mechanisms during episodes of bacterial infection.