title: Leukocyte antibacterial functions are not impaired by perfluorocarbon exposure in vitro.
abstract: Application of liquid, aerosolized, and vaporized perfluorocarbons (PFC) in acute lung injury has shown anti-inflammatory effects. Although this may be beneficial in states of pulmonary hyperinflammation, it also could increase susceptibility to nosocomial lung infection. We hypothesized that PFC impair cellular host defense and therefore investigated in an in vitro model the influence of perfluorohexane (PFH) on crucial mechanisms of bacterial elimination in human neutrophils and monocytes. Using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, we could show membrane-bound and ingested PFH particles that morphologically did not alter adherence and phagocytosis of Escherichia coli or leukocyte viability. The amount of adherent and phagocytosed bacteria as determined by flow cytometry was not influenced in cells only pretreated with PFH for 1 and 4 h. When PFH was present during E. coli challenge, bacterial adherence was decreased in polymorphonuclear neutrophils, but respective intracellular uptake was not impaired and was even significantly promoted in monocytes. Overall, E. coli-induced respiratory burst capacity was not reduced by PFH. Our findings provide evidence that key functions of innate host defense are not compromised by PFH treatment in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany. dirk.haufe@uniklinikum-dresden.de
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haufe
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koenigshausen
authors.forename: Lilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Knels
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wendel
authors.forename: Sebastian N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Stehr
authors.forename: Thea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000276:immunology*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008954:Models, Biological; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005466:Fluorocarbons