The Initial Response of Blood Leukocytes to Incubation with Perfluorocarbon Blood Substitute Emulsions

Abstract

Due to their enhanced oxygen carrying characteristics, perfluorocarbon emulsions are valuable adjuncts to coronary revascularization procedures. However, the effects of perfluorocarbon emulsions on white blood cell function are unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of three perfluorocarbon emulsions on the adhesion characteristics of leukocytes. Heparinized blood from donor rats was mixed with either Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS), PFB-1, PFB-2 (both non-complement activating perflubron emulsions, Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp.) or Fluosol (20% w/v PFC, Alpha Therapeutic) in a ratio of one part emulsion to six parts blood. The blood-emulsion mixtures were incubated for ten minutes at 37°C, then passed down nylon wool leukocyte adhesion columns. Blood samples were counted for: Leukocytes, Granulocytes and Lymphocytes. % Cell Adherence was calculated as: {1 -[WBC-out]/[WBC-in]}. We found that, compared to PBS control, the granulocyte adherence to the nylon fiber was significantly increased for both Fluosol-20 and PFB-1 (P<0.05). In contrast, PFB-2 (designed for reduced cell surface activity) caused no significant change in leukocyte adhesion. In fact, a modest decrease in granulocyte adhesion was observed with PFB-2. These findings suggest a direct effect of some, but not all, PFC emulsions on blood leukocyte function.