In vitro assessment of mononuclear leukocyte aggregation in response to sodium arachidonate and calcium ionophore A23187: comparison with polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The effects of ionophore A23187 and sodium arachidonate (AASS) on mononuclear leukocyte (MNL) aggregation were evaluated and the results compared to those obtained with similarly challenged polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). MNL aggregated in response to both ionophore A23187 (8-40 microM f.c.) and AASS (0.05-0.5 mM f.c.) and the response was comparable to that of similarly challenged PMN. The AASS induced aggregation of the two leukocyte subpopulations was inhibited by the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the incubation media and by calcium exogenously added. In contrast, this cation stimulated ionophore induced aggregation. When PMN and MNL aggregation was induced by AASS, a marked release of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) was detected. The thromboxane-synthetase inhibitor UK 37248, inhibited both leukocyte aggregation and LDH release. When the response of leukocytes from male and female subjects was compared, in terms of aggregation, it appeared that the response of PMN from female volunteers was higher than that of PMN isolated from male donors, whereas no sex-related difference was detected when MNL aggregation was evaluated.