Effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on neutrophil adhesive molecules in neonates.
BACKGROUND
Term and preterm neonates experience quantitative and qualitative neutrophil deficiencies resulting in part from decreased production of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). In adults, G-CSF improves neutrophil function by up-regulating adhesion molecules.


METHODS
To evaluate the effects of G-CSF on neonatal neutrophil adhesive phenotypes, cord blood samples were incubated with G-CSF or phosphate-buffered saline and stimulated with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), and adhesion molecules were evaluated by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
In term and preterm neutrophils, G-CSF incubation increased beta2-integrin expression significantly compared with baseline and to a greater extent than observed in adult neutrophils. With FMLP stimulation, beta2-integrin expression increased even more in the G-CSF group. L-selectin expression decreased after G-CSF incubation and decreased even more with FMLP stimulation in the G-CSF group compared with the phosphate-buffered saline group in term and preterm samples, but not in adult samples.


CONCLUSIONS
The data show that G-CSF increases expression of beta2-integrin and decreases expression of L-selectin on unstimulated and stimulated term and preterm neonatal neutrophils in vitro. Further study is required to determine whether G-CSF improves neonatal neutrophil function.
Ohls
R K
RK
Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-5311, USA. rohls@unm.edu
Bellis
Y M
YM
Dupree
J C
JC
Sklar
L C
LC
D000328:Adult; D018821:CD18 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000378:metabolism; D019041:L-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018375:Neutrophil Activation; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D018821:CD18 Antigens; D019041:L-Selectin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine