STORED RED BLOOD CELLS SELECTIVELY ACTIVATE HUMAN NEUTROPHILS TO RELEASE IL-8 AND SECRETORY PLA2

Abstract

Packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion has been invoked previously with immunosuppression and increased infections, but it has now been demonstrated that stored PRBCs (>14 days) can prime PMNs and provoke multiple organ failure. Recently, the role of PMNs in the genesis of MOF has been extended to their release of inflammatory cytokines, notably IL-1, IL-8, TNFα, and secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2). We hypothesize that stored PRBCs can act as a second event via stimulating the release of inflammatory cytokines from PMNs. Isolated human PMNs were incubated for 24 h in RPMI with either 20% fresh plasma or plasma from 42 day old PRBC (day of outdate) and release of IL-8, IL-1β, TNFα, and sPLA2 were measured. Plasma from stored PRBCs contained small amounts of IL-8, sPLA2, and TNFα (102.1 ± 5.6 pg/ml, 87.6 ± 6.0 pg/ml and 9.7 ± .7 pg/ml). Levels of IL-1β were below detection (2