Cell-surface expression of immunoglobulin G receptors on the polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes of extremely premature infants.

This study measured Fc gamma receptor (FcR) expression on polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and monocytes from extremely premature infants. Flow cytometry was used to quantitate FcRIII [cluster of differention (CD) 16], FcRII (CD32), FcRI (CD64), CD14, and CD67 proteins on the PMN surface. Sixty-four premature infants with a mean gestational age +/- SD of 26 +/- 2 wk (birth weight = 847 +/- 217 g), 12 infants born at term (gestational age = 38 +/- 1 wk), and 37 adults were studied. Premature infants' PMN expressed less FcRIII, measured as mean log channel fluorescence (MCF), than did term infants or adults (MCF = 4.7 +/- 1.4, 6.1 +/- 1.0, and 8.8 +/- 1.8, respectively, p < 0.050). Premature infants also had a lower proportion of FcRIII-positive PMN than term infants or adults (mean +/- SEM = 0.83 +/- 0.02 versus 0.92 +/- 0.04 and 0.96 +/- 0.01, respectively, p < 0.050). FcRIII expression on PMN was positively associated with cell isolation procedures (p = 0.004), birth weight (p = 0.004), and postnatal age (p = 0.032). Premature infants also had lower PMN expression of FcRII when compared with adults and term infants (MCF = 2.4 +/- 0.6 versus 3.0 +/- 0.7 and 3.1 +/- 0.3, p < 0.050). Both premature and term infants had fewer FcRII positive PMN than did adults (mean +/- SEM = 0.90 +/- 0.09 and 0.89 +/- 0.07 versus 0.99 +/- 0.00, p < 0.050). Premature infants' monocytes also expressed significantly less FcRIII (MCF = 2.4 +/- 0.6 versus 3.4 +/- 0.9, p = 0.047) and FcRII (2.1 +/- 0.5 versus 2.9 +/- 0.6, p = 0.01) compared with adults. We conclude that extremely premature infants have decreased expression of FcRIII and FcRII on both their PMN and monocytes when compared with adults. The decrease in PMN FcRIII expression appears related to birth weight and chronologic age.