The appearance of L-selectin(low) polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the circulating pool of peripheral blood during myocardial infarction correlates with neutrophilia and with the size of the infarct.
BACKGROUND
It is assumed that not only leukocytosis, but also the activation of white blood cells (WBC) may play a role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Activation of WBC includes upregulation of CD11b/CD18 and downregulation of CD62L (L-selectin) antigens.


OBJECTIVE
The activation of WBC is associated with the appearance of a larger MI.


METHODS
CD11b/CD18 and CD62L were measured on the surface of WBC on Day 1 and Day 3 from the onset of MI. The size of the infarct with estimated by calculating the area under the curve of the creatine kinase enzyme, which was measured every 6 h.


RESULTS
A negative correlation was noted between the absolute polymorphonuclear count and the availability of the CD62L on these cells during Day 1 (r = -0.46, p = 0.003) and Day 3 (r = -0.35, p = 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the size of MI and the WBC count (r = 0.46, p = 0.004) and a negative correlation with CD62L on polymorphonuclears (r = -0.35, p = 0.03). During Day 3, the CD11b/CD18 on the polymorphonuclears increased despite a decrement in the absolute number of these cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The neutrophilia during the early phases of acute MI correspond to the appearance of the L-selectin(low) population of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. There is a correlation between the appearance of this population and the size of the infarct.
Kassirer
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine D, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel.
Zeltser
D
D
Gluzman
B
B
Leibovitz
E
E
Goldberg
Y
Y
Roth
A
A
Keren
G
G
Rotstein
R
R
Shapira
I
I
Arber
N
N
Berliner
A S
AS
D000368:Aged; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3; D006801:Humans; D019041:L-Selectin / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D009504:Neutrophils; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D037502:Galectin 3; D019041:L-Selectin