RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Immobilized fibrinogen and fibrin facilitate leukocyte adhesion, as they are potent ligands for leukocyte MAC-1 (CD11b/CD18). However, fibrinogen in its soluble form also binds to MAC-1, albeit with low affinity. The level of soluble fibrinogen is increased during chronic and acute inflammation, but the function of this increase is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of soluble fibrinogen in concentrations found in severe acute inflammation on leukocyte adhesion. METHODS: Isolated leukocytes and soluble fibrinogen were studied in various in vitro settings under static and under flow conditions. RESULTS: Soluble fibrinogen functioned as a natural antagonist of neutrophil functions that are dependent on MAC-1, such as the respiratory burst induced by unopsonized zymosan and adhesion to ICAM-1 and heparin. In addition, soluble fibrinogen inhibited lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1-dependent lymphocyte binding to ICAM-1 through a direct interaction with ICAM-1. Soluble fibrinogen reduced MAC-1-dependent binding of interleukin-8-activated neutrophils to ICAM-1-expressing cells under flow conditions. Importantly soluble fibrinogen in acute-phase concentrations (4-10 mg mL(-1) ) dose-dependently reduced neutrophil firm adhesion to tumor necrosis factor-α-activated endothelium to 40% under flow conditions. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a model in which the increased circulating concentrations of soluble fibrinogen found during the acute-phase response can act as a natural antagonist of leukocyte recruitment, and therefore might contribute to the resolution of inflammation.