Cryopreservable neutrophil surrogates. Stored cytoplasts from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes retain chemotactic, phagocytic, and microbicidal function.

S E Malawista; G Van Blaricom; M G Breitenstein

doi:10.1172/JCI113939

Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.

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Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.

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Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.

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Published in Volume 83, Issue 2 on February 1, 1989
J Clin Invest. 1989;83(2):728–732. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI113939.
© 1989 The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Published February 1, 1989 - Version history

Cryopreservation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) has largely failed, probably because of their rich content of granular (lysosomal) enzymes. We have been developing granule-poor cytoplasts (anucleate fragments) from PMN which retain motile functions of the parent cell. The two types studied here were induced either by brief heating on surfaces (cytokineplasts) or by discontinuous gradient centrifugation (Ficoll) without heat or drugs (U-cytoplasts). Freshly made, these cytoplasts respond chemotactically to formyl peptide (fMet-Leu-Phe), and they take up and kill roughly half as many Staphylococcus aureus as their (larger, granular) parent PMN. Unlike their parent cells, after cryopreservation both cytoplasts remain chemotactic, and in matched experiments they take up and kill staphylococci with undiminished avidity. These findings are the first indications that PMN cytoplasts suitable for clinical use may be feasible.

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