Human neutrophils switch to an activated phenotype after homing to the lung irrespective of inflammatory disease

Abstract

Summary Systemic inflammation can be investigated by changes in expression profiles of neutrophil receptors. Application of this technology for analysis of neutrophil phenotypes in diseased tissues is hampered by the absence of information regarding the modulation of neutrophil phenotypes after extravasation to tissues under non-inflammatory conditions. To fill this gap we measured the expression of neutrophil receptors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and in the peripheral blood of healthy volunteers, which included both smokers and non-smokers. Blood and BALF neutrophils were identified by CD16bright/CD45dim cells, and triple-stained with antibodies directed against integrins, chemokine- and Fcγ-receptors. BALF neutrophils of healthy volunteers showed an activated phenotype characterized by Mac-1 (CD11b)bright, L-selectin (CD62L)dim, intrecellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) (CD54)bright, FcγRII (CD32)bright, C5a receptor (CD88)bright and CD66bbright. A similar phenotype was observed for BALF neutrophils of patients affected by sarcoidosis. Furthermore, our results demonstrate a modulated expression of C5a receptor (CD88) and ICAM-1 (CD54) in neutrophils of sarcoidosis patients. In conclusion, our data indicate that neutrophils found in the lung exhibit an activated phenotype under both homeostatic and inflammatory conditions.