Chemotaxis and Random Migration of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes in Ulcerative Colitis Examined by the Agarose Method

Abstract

Chemotaxis and random migration of neutrophils under agarose were compared between untreated ulcerative colitis patients (35 women and 36 men) and healthy subjects (25 women and 28 men). The ulcerative colitis patients were divided into two subgroups--those with the active (no. = 41) and those with the inactive (no. = 30) stage of the disease. High spontaneous mobility and subnormal chemotaxis (both aberrations statistically significant) were noted in the ulcerative colitis patients. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis was significantly lower in inactive than in active colitis. Possible causes of the difference in neutrophil chemotaxis between the two disease groups were discussed. No difference in the chemotactic activity between zymosan-stimulated plasma from controls and patients was found. The defect in the chemotaxis of neutrophils in ulcerative colitis might explain the small abscesses persisting in the mucosa of the great bowel.

Function of Phagocytes in Experimentally Induced Colitis in Rabbits II.

“…Similar results were obtained in patients with ulcerative colitis [38], in whom the activation of alternate complement pathway has also been demon strated [39], In our examinations, reactivity of phago cytes to complement-independent chemotactic fac tors such as casein, MDCF and LDCF was also de pressed. The depression of neutrophil migration in rabbits with colitis was, however, three to four times smaller when cells were stimulated with MDCF (48.1% of normal results) or with casein (36.6%) as compared with that stimulated with zymosan-acti vated autologous and control serum (12.2 and 11.5%, respectively).…”

Normal Chemotactic Migration of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes Stimulated with Mononuclear-Derived Chemotactic Factor in Ulcerative Colitis

“…Chemotaxis was measured according to a modification [15] of the methods of Cutler [16] and Nelson et al [17], Agarose (Industrie Biologique Française, Paris, France) was supplemented with TC199, bovine serum albumin (Sigma, St Lou is, Mo., USA) and bicarbonate as previously described [3,15]. 0.75% supplemented agarose was poured onto glass slides, and pairs of wells were punched into the gel.…”

“…Defective chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leu kocytes (PMNs) stimulated with complement-derived chemotactic factors in ulcerative colitis (UC) has been well documented both in vivo and in vitro [1][2][3][4][5]. On the other hand, a number of observations suggest an important role for PM Ns in the pathogenesis of UC.…”

“…Firstly, impairment of chemotactic migration in UC depended on the activity of the disease, i.e. chemotac tic migration of PM Ns was most depressed in inactive colitis, less in moderately active, and least depressed in severe disease [3,4], Secondly, neutrophils are inhi bited by drugs which are most effective in the treat ment of UC, i.e. sulphasalazine and corticosteroids [6][7][8][9].…”

Function of Phagocytes in Experimentally Induced Colitis in Rabbits I.

“…Im mune complexes are eliminated mainly by phagocy tosis; for the most part by mononuclear phagocytes, and to a smaller degree by granulocytes [4]. Hypofunction of the phagocyte system has been reported in human immune-complex diseases; SLE [5], rheuma toid arthritis [6] and recently also in inflammatory disease [7][8][9][10][11]. It has been suggested that impairment of phagocyte function can lead to prolonged persis tence of immune complexes in the circulation, thus contributing to deposition of immune complexes in tissue subsequently leading to tissue damage.…”