Cell elastimetry in the detection of antineutrophil antibodies

Cell elastimetry has been applied to the measurement of antineutrophil antibodies. This technique measures, under direct visualization, the negative pressure required of aspirate PMNs into small-pored pipettes. Two groups of studies were carried out: (A) In the first group of studies, normal PMNs were incubated with 1 of 8 known antineutrophil serums. Each serum significantly decreased membrane deformability--i.e., cells became more rigid. The study was conducted in an entirely blind fashion. Randomly coded serums from patients and controls were studied for deformability by observers unaware of the code. (B) In the second group of studies, sera containing immune complexes were incubated with normal PMNs. No significant effects were noted upon deformability. As a single cell assay that partially reflects membrane rigidity, elastimetry may, therefore, have potential in the further characterization of mechanisms by which such antineutrophil antibodies compromise neutrophil functions.