Open AccessUpregulation of Reactive Oxygen Species Generation and Phagocytosis, and Increased Apoptosis in Human Neutrophils During Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock
Author(s) -
Paulo S. Martins,
Esper G. Kallas,
Miguel Cendoroglo Neto,
Maria Aparecida Dalboni,
S Blecher,
Reinaldo Salomão
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
shock
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1540-0514
pISSN - 1073-2322
DOI - 10.1097/01.shk.0000079425.52617.db
Subject(s) - sepsis , propidium iodide , respiratory burst , phagocytosis , dichlorofluorescein , lipopolysaccharide , reactive oxygen species , apoptosis , immunology , neutrophile , staphylococcus aureus , neutrophil extracellular traps , medicine , phorbol , septic shock , granulocyte , chemistry , oxidative stress , inflammation , biology , programmed cell death , biochemistry , signal transduction , bacteria , protein kinase c , genetics
We evaluated neutrophil activation by measuring its phagocytic ability and oxidative burst activity in 16 patients with sepsis and 16 healthy volunteers. We also focused on neutrophil apoptosis as a regulatory mechanism of the inflammatory response. Neutrophil phagocytosis was evaluated by the detection of propidium iodide (PI)-labeled Staphylococcus aureus added to whole blood. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was quantified by measuring the oxidation of 2',7' dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) at baseline and after cell stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), and bacterial cells (killed S. aureus) or products (lipopolysaccharide [LPS] and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine [FMLP]). Apoptosis was assessed in neutrophils stained with annexin V and PI. Neutrophil phagocytic ability was increased in patients with sepsis compared with healthy controls (median geometric mean fluorescence intensity [GMFI] was 101.9 and 54.7, respectively; P = 0.05). ROS formation was enhanced in patients with sepsis compared with healthy volunteers at baseline (median GMFI 275.6 and 52.1, respectively; P < 0.001), and after stimulation with S. aureus (median GMFI 2395.8 and 454.9, respectively; P < 0.001), PMA (median GMFI 1120.6 and 307.5, respectively; P = 0.003), FMLP (median GMFI 792.4 and 123.2, respectively; P < 0.001), and LPS (median GMFI 624.8 and 144.8, respectively; P < 0.001). Early neutrophil apoptosis was increased in patients with sepsis compared with healthy volunteers (median 11.3% and 9.1%, respectively; P = 0.03). These data demonstrate that neutrophil function is enhanced in patients with sepsis. Additionally, circulating neutrophils from patients with sepsis presented with increased early apoptosis, which may be consequence of a regulatory mechanism of the inflammatory response.