Young Granulocytes Research Articles

Increased oxidative stress response in granulocytes from older patients with a hip fracture may account for slow regeneration.

Proximal femur fracture, a typical fracture of the elderly, is often associated with morbidity, reduced quality of life, impaired physical function and increased mortality. There exists evidence that responses of the hematopoietic microenvironment to fractures change with age. Therefore, we investigated oxidative stress markers and oxidative stress-related MAPK activation in granulocytes from the young and the elderly with and without fractured long bones. Lipid peroxidation levels were increased in the elderly controls and patients. Aged granulocytes were more sensitive towards oxidative stress induced damage than young granulocytes. This might be due to the basally increased expression of SOD-1 in the elderly, which was not further induced by fractures, as observed in young patients. This might be caused by an altered MAPK activation. In aged granulocytes basal p38 and JNK activities were increased and basal ERK1/2 activity was decreased. Following fracture, JNK activity decreased, while ERK1/2 and p38 activities increased in both age groups. Control experiments with HL60 cells revealed that the observed p38 activation depends strongly on age. Summarizing, we observed age-dependent changes in the oxidative stress response system of granulocytes after fractures, for example, altered MAPK activation and SOD-1 expression. This makes aged granulocytes vulnerable to the stress stimuli of the fracture and following surgery.

Hemocyte differentiation in the hematopoietic organs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori: prohemocytes have the function of phagocytosis

Hemocytes isolated from the larval hematopoietic organs of the silkworm were classified following staining with acridine orange and propidium iodide. Among the hemocytes isolated from the hematopoietic organs of whole fifth larval and wandering stages, most were prohemocytes (60%-70%) and oenocytoids (30%-40%). Granulocytes comprised only about 0.5%-1% at the wandering stage and were even rarer at other stages; no spherulocytes or plasmatocytes were found. Therefore, hemocyte differentiation inside larval hematopoietic organs is not as extensive as previously thought. Following 10-30 min in vitro culture of hemocytes isolated from larval hematopoietic organs, many young granulocytes and plasmatocytes appeared. Furthermore, during phagocytosis assays, prohemocytes were seen to adopt the morphology of plasmatocytes, containing fragments of phagocytosed cells. Our results underline the similarities between Drosophila and Bombyx hematopoiesis.

Reexamination of phenoloxidase in larval circulating hemocytes of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

We have developed a modified method to detect phenoloxidase activity on hemocytes by using freshly prepared l-DOPA (1 mg/ml in 35% ethanol) to fix and incubate larval hemocytes. This method is more sensitive than the common method, in which hemocytes were fixed in 4% formaldehyde and then incubated with 2 mg/ml l-DOPA in water separately. Phenoloxidase assayed using this modified method can be inhibited by phenyltiourea (phenoloxidase inhibitor). After incubation with l-DOPA solution in ethanol, most prohemocytes, all plasmatocytes and young granulocytes are stained brown due to oxidation of l-DOPA into pigments, indicating that they have phenoloxidase. Oenocytoids are dimly stained because many of their cell inclusions have been released during the treatment. Large propidium-iodide-negative prohemocytes have strong phenoloxidase activity and are easily misunderstood as propidium-iodide-positive oenocytoids if the fluorescent method is not used for identification. Thus, in addition to oenocytoids and plasmatocytes, some prohemocytes and granulocytes in the silkworm also have phenoloxidase.

Ultrastructural localization of 2-naphthylthiol acetate nonspecific esterase in human blood cells and leukemic cells

Nonspecific esterase activity was localized ultrastructurally within normal and leukemic hematopoietic cells by the use of 2-naphthylthiol acetate (NTA) as a substrate. NTA esterase activity was identified in all cell lines, although mononuclear phagocytes contained the most abundant activity. Monocytes, macrophages, young granulocytes, eosinophils, basophils, megakaryocytes, and platelets showed reaction products primarily associated with the membranes of cell granules, mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and perinuclear cisternae. Lymphocytes demonstrated focal uneven staining in perinuclear cisternae and endoplasmic reticulum, with only occasional cytoplasmic reactions. Erythroblasts showed the most distinctive staining pattern with predominance of large amounts of reaction product within the perinuclear space in a ring-like distribution. Examination of the staining pattern in 42 cases of leukemia and 2 cases of malignant lymphoma demonstrated only limited usefulness as a diagnostic aid.

Electron-microscopical study of bone marrow cells in a case of Chediak-Higashi-Steinbrinck syndrome.

Phase‐contrast and electron‐microscope studies of bone marrow cells in a case of Chediak‐Higashi‐Steinbrinck syndrome are presented. Phase‐contrast microscopy shows giant granules in young granulocytes and in dividing cells. The electron‐microscopical findings are generally in agreement with similar studies by other authors. In addition, structures similar to leucocyte giant granules were observed in erythrocytes. The syndrome seems to be associated with a defective membrane stability of cytoplasmic granules and membrane‐bound lysosomes.

Variations in Catalase Activity in Human Leukocytes

Abstract The enzyme, catalase, has been studied in normal leukocytes, and in leukocytes from patients with leukemia and infective states. Examination of both granulocyte-rich and lymphocyte-rich fractions prepared from normal leukocyte populations showed the catalase activity of normal granulocytes to be higher than that of normal lymphocytes. In acute and chronic myeloid leukemia, catalase levels were found to be higher than the range for normal granulocytes, whereas in acute and chronic lymphatic leukemia, the levels were of the same order as those for normal lymphocytes. Low catalase values were found in infective leukocytosis, suggesting that young granulocytes may have lower activities than the mature cells. The significance of the changes in leukocyte catalase activity in myeloid leukemia are discussed in relation to cell age.

BARTONELLA BACILLIFORMIS ANEMIA (OROYA FEVER): A Study of Thirty Cases

AbstractBartonella bacilliformis anemia (Oroya fever) is a febrile hemolytic anemia with distinguishing clinical and hematologic characteristics. It occurs as an infrequent clinical form during the invasive stage. The onset is variable with or without chills, followed by a moderate temperature which does not parallel the intensity of the anemia. Hemorrhages, petechial spots, epistaxis may occur and are due to thrombocytopenia. Clouding of the sensorium and delirium are rather uncommon. There is a generalized lymphadenopathy but no splenomegaly.The anemia is macrocytic and frequently hypochromic with signs of intense blood formation: young granulocytes, polychromatophilia, reticulocytosis and nucleated red cells. The reticulocytosis may increase to 50 per cent. The pathognomonic sign of the disease is the presence of bartonella bacilliformis on the erythrocytes. The leukocyte count varies; slight leukocytosis is not uncommon but marked leukocytosis is extremely rare in cases without intercurrent infections. There is a shift of the polymorphonuclear series to the left, characterized by the presence of myeloblasts, myelocytes and metamyelocytes. The anemia is normoblastic and not megaloblastic. It is hemolytic and the destruction of erythrocytes is dependent on the presence of bartonella bacilliformis on the erythrocytes. There is no spherocytosis and the fragility of the erythrocytes is normal. Histologically there is evidence of erythrocyte phagocytosis in the cells of the reticulo-endothelial system; the Kupffer cells, the littoral cells of the spleen and the lymph nodes.The disappearance of the bartonellae from the erythrocytes occurs in a very few days and is called "critical stage" of the anemia. The hematologic changes of this transition are as follows: a change in the shape of the bartonellae from the "bacilliform" to "coccoid" form before complete clearance will take place, an increase in the erythrocyte count, reduction in the indirect hyperbilirubinemia to normal, increase in the number of reticulocytes, reversion to normocytosis, lymphocytosis, reappearance of monocytes and eosinophiles, a "shift to the right" of the polymorphonuclear series. Corresponding with the clearance of bartonella from the erythrocytes, the symptoms dependent on the anemia as well as the fever disappear. Clinical improvement, however, may not parallel the clearance of bartonellae because of intercurrent infections or an atypical course of the bartonellosis itself.Bartonella bacilliformis anemia has a very severe prognosis, due largely to the occurrence of intercurrent infection by enteric organisms. The treatment today is largely symptomatic as there is no specific agent against the bartonellae bacilliformis infection.It is suggested that the prognosis may be improved by the use of adequate blood transfusions and the prophylactic use of antibiotics to control intercurrent infection. At present there is no specific agent against bartonella bacilliformis anemia.