111Indium-tropolone labeled human PMNs: a rapid method of preparation and evaluation of labeling parameters.

Pure polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) have been isolated from a small amount of human blood by a single-step density gradient centrifugation method using a commercially available Ficoll-Hypaque mixture of density 1.114. The cells were labelled with [111In]tropolone in both buffer and plasma. Cell viability, ability to generate superoxide anion, and chemotaxis were found to be unaltered both before and after labeling. The optimum tropolone concentration for labeling was found to be 1 X 10(-4) M. Labeling efficiency was higher at 37 degrees C than at room temperature. Compared to [111In]oxine, tropolone preparation both in buffer and plasma resulted in consistently higher yields. Preliminary experiments of in vivo cell viability of the labeled PMNs were carried out in rabbits. The ability of the cells to localize in experimentally produced inflammatory lesions was found to be intact. The method of cell separation and labeling described has been found to be simple and rapid and could easily be incorporated in routine nuclear medicine laboratory practice.