Activation of polymorphonuclear neutrophilic granulocytes following burn injury: alteration of Fc-receptor and complement-receptor expression and of opsonophagocytosis.

Polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMNLs) play a key role in host defense, and phagocyte dysfunction has been associated with increased susceptibility to infection in patients with thermal injury. We have used flow cytometric analysis (FCM) to longitudinally study PMNL expression of IgG Fc-receptor II (Fc gamma RII) and Fc-receptor III (Fc gamma RIII), as well as the complement receptors CR1 (receptor for C3b) and CR3 (receptor for C3bi) in 22 patients with large burns. Analyses of PMNL complement and immunoglobulin-mediated phagocytosis of Candida albicans were performed in parallel. Burn patient PMNL Fc gamma RIII expression was decreased to 58% of control values at admission, and remained low for the first 3 weeks. The expression of patient PMNL Fc gamma RII was not altered at admission or throughout the hospital stay. The CR1-dependent fluorescence was increased by 62% at admission, and reached a maximum at day 2, 138% greater than that of controls. The CR1 expression then gradually returned to normal at discharge. The PMNL CR3-dependent fluorescence showed an increase of 110% at admission and remained high during the first 3 weeks. The immunoglobulin-mediated phagocytosis was decreased by 12% at admission, whereas the lowest value was observed at day 10, with a reduction of 30% compared with controls. The patient PMNL complement-mediated phagocytosis of C. albicans was increased by about 160% at admission, and reached a maximum at day 2, before it gradually decreased to control levels at discharge. The expression of complement receptors correlated positively, whereas the expression of Fc gamma RIII correlated negatively, with total body surface area (TBSA) burn.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)