Platelets augment respiratory burst in neutrophils activated by selected species of gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria.

Neutrophils and platelets circulate in blood system and play important physiological roles as part of immunological system. Neutrophils are the first line of host defense against various intruders, and platelets are satellite cells cooperating with other components of defense system. Recent studies report about the cooperation among these types of cells. We analyzed the effect of platelets on oxygen burst in neutrophils triggered by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria in vitro. The effect of platelets on oxygen burst in neutrophils was measured by luminol enhanced chemiluminescence. Opsonized and non-opsonized bacteria were used as activators. Activation of neutrophils with live non-opsonized and opsonized bacteria in the presence of platelets increased the oxygen burst as compared to the same system without platelets. The gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) were causing higher activation than gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). This work demonstrate that platelets potentate the response of neutrophils augmenting their respiratory burst in vitro when triggered by bacteria.