Effect of hemodialysis on leukocyte adhesion receptor expression

Hemodialysis with complement-activating membranes such as cuprophane is known to transiently activate leukocytes, leading to increased cellular adhesiveness, pulmonary leukostasis, and reduced functional capacity of monocytes and neutrophils. Clinically, this repetitive cell activation may contribute to the increased morbidity and mortality associated with chronic hemodialysis. To examine the effect of cuprophane hemodialysis on expression of cell-surface proteins involved in leukocyte adhesiveness, we monitored CD11b, CD18, CD14, CD54, and plasma-soluble CD54 in 10 patients during hemodialysis with cuprophan dialyzers. To test the effect of local blood recirculation, in two patients, arterial supply to the dialyzer was accessed from the peripheral arteriovenous fistula and was returned via an indwelling central venous catheter. In an attempt to examine the possible role of membrane-induced complement activation, the results were compared with those seen after incubation with C5a in vitro. Finally, the leukocyte responses to C5a and lipopolysaccharide were measured before and after hemodialysis. Leukocyte expression of CD11b and CD18 increased and CD14 decreased with hemodialysis, while CD54 remained unaltered. Plasma CD54 was markedly elevated before and remained unchanged during hemodialysis. Data obtained with C5a activation in vitro revealed identical changes in CD11b expression as that seen with hemodialysis, suggesting the role of membrane-induced complement activation. Preliminary data obtained using remote arterial and venous access sites showed only a slight increase in CD11b expression in the arterial blood, suggesting that the apparent systemic activation seen with arteriovenous access may be due to recirculation and local activation within the blood access. Finally, dialysis procedure did not impair lipopolysaccharide- or C5a-mediated upregulation of CD11b expression.