[Changes in the phagocytic cell functions elicited by surgical intervention].

To evaluate the feature of the phagocytic cell functions against surgical intervention, the author analyzed superoxide production and Mac-1 expression of peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), cytokine production (IL-1 beta, TNF alpha) of peripheral monocyte (Mo) and peritoneal macrophage (M phi) in 35 surgical patients. The ability of PMNs in superoxide anion production and the level of Mac-1 expression on PMNs increased within 24 hr after operation. Those changes synchronized that of Mo to produce IL-1 and TNF increased after operation and peaked at 1 POD. And L-1 and TNF production of peritoneal M phi increased and peaked at 8 hr after operation. However, both IL-1 and TNF could not be detected in their sera of all patients. These findings disclosed that the surgical injury might induce in vivo activation of local M phi and circulating Mo, and priming of the PMN by activated M phi and due to their producing cytokines such as IL-1, TNF and G-CSF. It might be, therefore, concluded that these reactions of the phagocytic cells may be one of the host defense mechanisms against surgical injury.