GM-CSF increases in vitro the respiratory burst of human neutrophils after liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Superoxide production by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) under cyclosporin A (CsA) therapy following kidney transplantation is impaired. We investigated if the respiratory burst of PMNs is similarly depressed in patients undergoing CsA treatment following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx). Additionally, the in vitro influence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on the superoxide anion production was examined during the respiratory burst.


METHODS
10 patients after OLTx and 10 healthy blood donors (control group).


RESULTS
PMNs were stimulated with bacteria (Escherichia coli) or a combination of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). The respiratory burst was measured by oxidation of non-fluorescent dihydrorhodamine to the fluorescent rhodamine by means of flow cytometry. No differences in respiratory bursts from OLTx patients compared to those from healthy blood donors could be seen. Under TNFalpha/FMLP stimulation, the respiratory burst was significantly increased after in vitro incubation with GM-CSF (500 U ml(-1)) in patients following OLTx (from 58.2 to 74.5 %) as well as in the control group (from 47.4 to 61.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that superoxide production is not impaired under CsA treatment following OLTx. The respiratory burst of these patients' PMNs can even be augmented by GM-CSF in vitro.
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Zentrum Anästhesiologie, Germany. jaeger.karsten@mh-hannover.de
K
K
Jaeger
D
D
Scheinichen
J
J
Heine
H
H
Ruschulte
E
E
Kuse
M
M
Winkler
M
M
Leuwer
D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013481:Superoxides; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016572:Cyclosporine